Donkey, Equus asinus

Donkey, Equus asinus. An affectionate hombre found in the wild in the East Cape region of Baja California Sur, April 2018. Very friendly seeking a treat.  I named him Donald.

Donkey, Equus asinus. Another very friendly hombre found in the wild in the East Cape region of Baja California Sur, May 2018. I named him Donald Numero Dos.

The Donkey, Equus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae family of Horses. The Equidae family consists of one genera with nine species. These species can be differentiated into three basic groups; Horses, Asses, and Zebras. Male Donkeys are referred to as jacks, females are called jennies, and juveniles are known as foals. A male Donkey can mate with a female horse to produce a mule, and a female Donkey can mate with a male horse to produce a hinny. Additionally, breeding a Donkey with a Zebra will produce a zonkey. The Donkey is known in Mexico as a Burro.

Donkeys range from white to gray or off brown in color. Generally, they have a dark stripe that extends dorsally from their mane to tail and a crosswise stripe on their shoulders. Their muzzle is lighter than the rest of their face, typically white to light tan in color. Their mane is short and upright and their tail has long hairs only at the distal end, similar to the tail of a cow. Their ears are long and darker in color at the base and tip. Their large ears provide them with exceptional hearing and help to cool their blood. They are sure-footed and are capable of carrying heavy loads over rough terrain. They have the ability to generate a loud call, or bray, that lasts for 20 seconds and can be heard for distances of over 3 kilometers (2 miles). Donkeys are highly variable in size depending on their breed. They range in size from 87 cm (2 feet 10 inches) to 1.20 meters (5 feet 0 inches). Thye weigh between 50 kg (110 lbs) and 185 kg (410 lbs) with males being slightly larger than females.

 Donkeys do not display a distinct mating season, rather, females enter ovulatory and anovulatory seasons. The anovulatory season lasts approximately 165 days while the ovulatory season lasts the remainder of the year, approximately 200 days. Behaviors associated with jennies in estrus include a lowered head with the neck extended forward, ears back against the head, opening and closing of the mouth, splayed hind legs, and a raised tail. Gestation lasts approximately 12 months and typically one foal is born. Foals weigh between 8.6 kg (19 lbs) and 13.6 kg (30 pounds) and can stand to nurse about 30 minutes after birth. Jennies are very protective of their foals, who are weaned at five months of age. Although jennies come into heat within 10 days after giving birth, they are not capable of reproducing until one or two estrous cycles have passed. Some breeds do not come into estrus when they have a foal at their side. On average, domesticated Donkeys can produce 3 foals over four years. Unlike the harem system of typical Horses, Donkeys have a territorial social system. The composition, size, and relationships of each territorial group varies considerably among populations. In some populations, each breeding male holds his own territory through which jennies and their young pass. Jennies in estrus are bred by the breeding male holding the particular territory. Jennies often travel as solitary individuals with their young or in small, loosely affiliated groups of two or three jennies and their young. Some jennies tend to stay within particular territories, forming a more stable affiliation with the breeding male and other jennies in the territory, in a semi-harem type breeding group. In some groups, subordinate jacks are allowed to breed with a few of the jennies within the territory of a dominant jack, typically following mating by the dominant jack. These subordinate jacks also usually assist with territorial defense. Nonbreeding jacks may form all-male bachelor groups which have their own territory or wander through, or on the fringe of, breeding-male territories. Donkeys have an average lifespan of between twenty-seven and forty years, however, in good conditions, they have been known to live up to fifty years. 

Donkeys forage and feed on poor quality shrubs, consuming approximately 1.5% of their body weight per day. Their large lips allow them to grab plants and pull them into their mouth, where they rip them apart with their large front teeth and grind them before swallowing. In third world countries, they are normally overworked and underfed. Conversely, in developed countries, they suffer from obesity because their food is too abundant and rich. Donkeys are highly social, often bonding with other Donkeys, Horses, Mules, and other small livestock. Once a human has earned their trust, they are often willing and companionable partners. Their bonds can be so strong that separating a bonded Donkey pair can cause stress that leads to hyperlipidemia, a blood condition that can result in a heart attack or stroke. Although they have a notorious reputation for stubbornness, this trait is a self-preservation characteristic, which is why it is difficult to force a Donkey into doing something that it perceives as dangerous. Their body language is also less expressive than horses, making them difficult to read. A slight widening of their eyes can be misread as curiosity when it really indicates stress or fear. They have strong defensive capabilities including biting, striking with their front hooves, and kicking with their rear legs. Donkeys are known to be quite intelligent, cautious, friendly, playful, and eager to learn. Donkeys were first domesticated in 3,000 B.C. and have been used as work animals for at least 5,000 years. Most Donkeys are found in underdeveloped countries where they are used as draught or pack animals.

Donkeys were first brought into Mexico by ships in 1528. Today, approximately 3 million Burros are found in Mexico, making it the fourth largest global population. In some areas, including the East Cape area of the Baja California Sur, feral populations exist. Once very common in the Baja California Sur, their populations have dramatically decreased over the last thirty years with the intrusion of humans into their native environments. In some areas, they are considered pests because they compete with livestock and native animals for food, are known to spread weeds and diseases, contaminate watering holes, and can cause erosion of the environment. Donkey meat is also consumed in some countries, including Mexico.

From a conservation perspective, the Donkey has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. Donkeys are found in myth and folklore around the world, including Greek mythology, the Bible (including Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem), medieval health cures, numerous Aesop’s Fables, and within Shakespeare (who generally portrayed them as stupid or clownish animals). Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh is the most famous donkey in Western literature and Señor Donkey was the main character in the Shrek franchise of recent years. They are also currently the common symbol of the Democratic Party of the United States.