Donkeys
Library & Archive
General knowledge for this animal group. Individual breed histories and conservation challenges live in their own collections.
Poitou donkeys in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, photographed in 2013. · Jiel Beaumadier · CC BY-SA 4.0 · License terms
Read. Understand.
Carry knowledge forward.
Reports keep the source, date and meaning of a fact together. Articles follow the animal’s story. Essays connect that knowledge with the choices preservation asks of us.
When a donkey stops eating: why a quiet change deserves attention
Appetite, hyperlipaemia and the difference between sensible weight management and food deprivation.
Read the original →Guide · General donkeysEfficient fiber use does not mean no nutritional needs
The Donkey Sanctuary's clinical nutrition chapter explains that donkeys generally have lower energy requirements than similarly sized horses and ponies and are efficient users of f
Read the original →Guide · General donkeysQuiet behaviour and the importance of a companion
Donkeys may show pain or distress less dramatically than horses. The Donkey Sanctuary describes this as stoicism, which can make illness easy to underestimate. A dull or unusually
Read the original →Guide · General donkeysPregnancy and a species-specific newborn assessment
The Donkey Sanctuary's clinical foal chapter emphasizes preventive care of the pregnant female and early attention to newborn problems. Gestation length varies, so a calendar predi
Read the original →Guide · General donkeysA dry refuge and knowledgeable foot care
The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada emphasizes covered, dry shelter, non-slip flooring and a comfortable bed. A donkey's hardy reputation does not remove its need to escape wet or extre
Read the original →Article · General donkeysAn African origin and a history of movement
A 2022 genomic study supports a single domestication of donkeys in Africa around 5000 BCE, followed by expansion within Africa and into Eurasia. Later movements also carried ancest
Read the original →Article · General donkeysRelated equids, different animals
Donkeys and horses are close evolutionary relatives, but closeness does not make their anatomy and physiology interchangeable. Their differences are especially visible in reproduct
Read the original →Article · General donkeysWhat the photograph shows—and what it cannot tell us
From a first impression to a useful field observation
Read the original →Article · General donkeysKeeping a living breed: animals, families and a place in the world
Why conservation needs more than a familiar name
Read the original →Report · General donkeysHistory & heritage · General species
An original chapter in the species world. Individual breed histories and identity stay in their own collections.
Read the original →Report · General donkeysScientific identity · General species
An original chapter in the species world. Individual breed histories and identity stay in their own collections.
Read the original →Report · General donkeysEcology & human landscapes · General species
An original chapter in the species world. Individual breed histories and identity stay in their own collections.
Read the original →Report · General donkeysConservation & challenges · General species
An original chapter in the species world. Individual breed histories and identity stay in their own collections.
Read the original →Guide · General donkeysUnderstanding the animal: care foundations
Digestion, nutrition, daily observations and the differences that matter between animal groups.
Read the original →Report · General donkeysA status is not a census.
An original research report on conservation categories, taxonomy, population evidence and preserving a living inheritance.
Read the original →Every breed has its own shelf.
A foundation for deeper understanding.
Our first priority is teaching: bringing the animal’s history, characteristics and conservation challenges together in one place. Official breed organizations and research sources support further learning. Member records and submissions can come later.
Continue in the Donkeys world →