The donkey is a hoofed mammal of the family Equidae, with a robust body, long head and ears, adapted for life in arid and semi-arid environments. Its fur is usually gray, brown or white, with a dark dorsal stripe and often with transverse markings on the legs (“zebra stripes”). Domesticated about 6,000 years ago from the African wild ass, Equus asinus became a valuable working animal due to its endurance, patience and ability to carry heavy loads over difficult terrain.
Habits
Donkeys are social animals, forming family groups led by a senior female, although mature males may live solitary lives outside the breeding season. They are primarily crepuscular and nocturnal, spending the early morning and evening grazing, and resting during the day in shelters or under vegetation to avoid the heat.
Reproduction
Donkeys reach sexual maturity at 2–2.5 years of age; the female (mare) has estrous cycles every 21–23 days and can conceive throughout the year, but mating occurs most frequently in the spring. The gestation period lasts 12–14 months, after which a single foal (rarely two) is usually born, which becomes independent between 6 and 9 months.
Distribution
Originally from northeastern Africa, the domestic donkey (Equus asinus) has been spread throughout the world over millennia, being found today on all continents (except Antarctica), especially in regions with a warm and dry climate, but also in agricultural and mountainous areas, where it serves as a beast of burden and companion.
