Donkey
The Donkey, also referred to as an Ass, is descended from a wild ancestor, the African Wild Ass. It has been domesticated for at least 5 000 years. There are 189 recognized breeds in the world today with a total of about 41 million animals.
Donkey breeds vary in size from a height of 79 – 160 cm (31 – 63 in). They can be distinguished from horses by their long, floppy ears. Donkeys are primarily kept as work animals but there is a growing interest in them as pets.
They need less food per day than horses and their digestive system is more efficient than that of a horse.
Donkey @ Safari Niagara
- One Donkey, named Cotton, lives at Safari Niagara.
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Perissodactyla |
| Family: | Equidae |
| Genus: | Equus |
| Species: | Equus africanus |
Did you know?
- -Donkeys and horses are often interbred. If the mother is a horse the offspring is called a mule. If the mother is a donkey the offspring is called a hinny. Mules and hinnies are usually sterile because a horse has 64 chromosomes and a donkey has 62.