Domestic Donkey (Equus asinus)
Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Cordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae
Genus: Equus
Species: Equus asinus
Livestock Conservancy Conservation Status
The miniature donkey is recovering.
Range and Habitat
True wild donkeys are found in northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Domesticated and feral donkeys are found throughout the world. Wild donkeys are found in hilly, undulating deserts and are well adapted to desert conditions. Domestic donkeys prefer warm dry climates and if left to feral will move towards such a habitat.
Physical Features
Weight: miniature – less than 400lbs (180kg); standard – 400-500lbs (180-225kg); mammoth – 950lbs (430kg)
Height at shoulders: miniature – less than 3ft (92cm); standard – 3-4ft (92-123cm); mammoth – 4.5ft (143cm)
Donkeys resemble horses and are recognized by their large head, long ears, and cow-like tail. Coloration include black, white, paint and shades of brown and gray. Donkeys can be spotted, speckled, or striped. Solid-colored donkeys tend to have a dark dorsal stripe from mane to tail and across their shoulders. They have an erect mane and lack the forelock on a horse. A donkey’s hair can be curly, straight, short, long, wiry, or wooly.
Diet
Grazers, primarily grass and occasionally shrubs and deserts plants.
Lifespan
25-30 years in the wild and 40+ years in captivity.
Reproduction
Domestic donkeys breed throughout the year and their wild counterpart generally breed during the wet season. Gestation is 12 months and one foal is born. Foals are precocial able to stand and nurse within 30 minutes of being born. They are weaned around five months of age. Males and females reach sexual maturity at two years but males usually do not breed until three to four years of age.
Social Behavior and Interaction
Donkeys are social animals living in herds of several individuals to close to 100 individuals. They are active during the mornings and evening resting during the heat of the day. When a donkey is startled it usually will not run but either freeze or run a few steps, then look for what frightened it. Domestic donkeys interact well with other livestock and humans due to their passive nature.
Major Threats
No major threats.