Interesting Facts About Your Donkey You May Not Know
Donkeys are interesting animals and some people are not familiar with them. Animal Friends Equine Insurance is pleased to provide some interesting facts about donkeys to give our customers a better understanding about these wonderful animals.
The proper name for a donkey is the Latin name Equus asinus. It is also known as an ass, a burro by Spanish influenced Americans, sometimes a moke or a cuddy. Donkeys are related to ponies and horses. They have different physical characteristics than horses so they are slower and less powerful than horses. They can run fairly fast over a short distance.
Donkeys in the wild are usually spread out and use their voices, which can carry up to two miles, to call to other donkeys. You can still find several types of donkeys living in the wild in places all over the world. They can be found in India, Iran, Africa and there are also feral donkeys living in the Mohave desert in the United States.Donkeys stand between 10 and 14 hands. The miniature donkey stands under 9 hands and the American Mammoth donkey can stand up to 17 hands. Donkeys can be found in a very wide range of colours ranging from black to every shade of brown and grey.
Donkeys are very intelligent animals. They have both patience and persistence which makes them very good pack and draught animals. The donkey has a reputation of being stupid and stubborn which is not true. This actually reflects the handler s characteristics rather than the donkeys.
Donkeys can live for a very long time; some have been recorded as being 60 years old. But normally a 40 year old donkey is said to be elderly. After cats and dogs, the donkey was among the first animals associated with humans. They were one of the first draught animals used in agriculture.
Today there are very few working donkeys in England. There are donkeys that are companions to nervous horses and newly weaned foals. Today the welfare of donkeys is being looked after by laws that are in place and by organisations that look after their well being. Donkeys make great pets and are lifelong companions.
Do you have any interesting facts about your donkey that others would be interested in knowing? Please post your comments below if you would like to share your opinions with other members of AFI's Horse Community. We'd love to hear what you have to say.
