For centuries, man has worked alongside the donkey, has tamed it and used it in agricultural activities. However, his migration to urban life has decreased the number of this docile animal.
- When a species is endangered, the cause is usually related to the destruction of its habitat. But in the case of the donkey, it is something perhaps more terrible: its exploitation for work.
Known as a donkey or donkey (Equus africanus asinus) it is a domestic animal of the equine family.
The African wild ancestors of donkeys were first domesticated in the early 5th millennium BCE. C., practically at the same time as the Eurasian horses, and since then they have been used by man as pack animals and as riding.
The word “donkey” or “borrico” are regressive derivatives of the late Latin burricus, which meant “little horse”.
His, her nature
According to the NGO Wildlife Waystation “Donkeys are very docile and when they live in the wild they live in small herds. Females give birth to one foal per year on average. Due to the lack of natural predators or competitors, donkeys can live up to 25 years in the wild.”
Most domestic donkeys have a size that ranges between 0.9 and 1.4 m, and their coloration and length of their hair is also highly variable. Its most common color is gray in all its shades, reaching white and black, and brown tones are also common.
According to the FAO “It is a calm animal, it does not show distrust and is quite friendly. It is also intelligent and if it is treated well it responds to good treatment”.
What has them in danger?
Currently there are about 44 million donkeys in the world. The donkey population has grown since the mid-20th century. From 1961 to 1980 they went from 37 to 40 million, remaining stable until rapid growth in the second half of the eighties.
In Latin America there are currently 7.7 million, mainly in Mexico (3.25 million), Colombia (710,000), Bolivia (720,000), Peru (520,000) and Venezuela (440,000).
But the most drastic reduction has occurred in Europe. Donkeys went from two million to half a million in three decades. The various native Spanish breeds are in danger of extinction, especially the Zamorano-Leonese and Catalan breeds.
This has led to the emergence of initiatives for their defense. Despite this, the IUCN still does not include it on its list of endangered animals. The donkey is an animal that, due to its characteristics, has been used by man for hundreds of years to work. Is the fact that it is approaching the danger of extinction a warning that we should rethink those acts? It is possible that it is, and it will be necessary to reflect on that to conserve the species.