Donkeys

The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus,[1][2] is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E. africanus. In the western United States, a small donkey is sometimes called a burro (from the Spanish word for the animal). A male donkey or ass is called a jack, a female a jenny, and an offspring less than one year old a foal (male: colt, female: filly). While different species of the Equidae family can interbreed, offspring are almost always sterile. Nonetheless, horse/donkey hybrids are popular for their durability and vigor. A mule is the offspring of a jack (male donkey) and a mare (female horse). The much rarer successful mating of a male horse and a female donkey produces a hinny. Asses were first domesticated around 3000 BC,[3] or 4000 BC, probably in Egypt or Mesopotamia,[4] and have spread around the world. They continue to fill important roles in many places today. While domesticated species are increasing in numbers, the African wild ass and another relative, the Onager, are endangered. As "beasts of burden" and companions, asses and donkeys have worked together with humans for millennia.

Contents [hide] 1 Scientific and common names 2 Characteristics 2.1 Breeding 2.2 Nutrition 2.3 Behaviour 2.4 Communication 3 History 4 Present status 5 Economic use 5.1 Shoeing 6 Feral donkeys and wild asses 6.1 Wild asses, onagers, and kiangs 7 Donkey hybrids 8 Cultural references 8.1 Religion, myth and folklore 8.2 Literature and film 8.3 Colloquialisms, proverbs and insults 8.4 Politics 9 See also 10 Further reading 11 References 12 External links

Scientific and common names Traditionally, the scientific name for the donkey is Equus asinus asinus based on the principle of priority used for scientific names of animals. However, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature ruled in 2003 that if the domestic species and