What are donkeys? Why do they have such big ears? And why do they bray so loudly? The experts at The Donkey Sanctuary explain all you need to know about these incredible animals
Donkeys are probably most known for their large ears but although they look like mini-horses, they are their own distinct species, says Liz Hazell-Smith, research assistant at The Donkey Sanctuary.
Are donkeys and horses related?
Millions of years ago horses and donkeys evolved from the same common ancestor Dinohippus. Their evolutionary journey diverged and as a result the two species have developed differing environmental adaptations and these have implications for the way we keep them.
Donkeys are descended from the African Wild Ass, and evolved to survive in semi-arid, mountainous environments with sparse food sources and intermittent access to water, whereas horses evolved on the lush, open grasslands of central Asia and Europe, in comparatively colder climates with abundant food and water sources.
This resulted in horses being grazers, who are adapted to live in grassy areas with readily available water sources, whereas donkeys are more browsers and better suited to eating rough vegetation and browsing on shrubs and bushes. Donkeys are also better adapted to hotter, drier climates; their large ears being ideal for body heat dissipation.
Are donkeys are herd animals?
Due to differing herd structure in their evolutionary history, which saw donkeys living together in smaller numbers much of the time in arid conditions where food was sparse, donkeys may display territorial or guarding behaviour whereas horses rarely show this type of behaviour.
This may play out when donkeys can be seen to defend their companions against intruders, which may in fact be other animals, such as dogs, goats, chickens etc.
Horses evolved on grassy plains, where abundant food allowed them to form larger groups consisting of animals of different ages and sexes. Due to the plentiful food supply, competition for resources is minimal. Stallions aim to establish a stable herd of mares for breeding, while those without their own herd often form bachelor bands
Donkeys are particularly known for their loud bray, an essential evolutionary adaptation that allow them to communicate over long distances
How does a donkey’s foot differ to a horses foot?
Donkey hoof structure differs from that of the horse. The donkey foot is much more absorbent of environmental moisture – useful in their dry ancestral homes but not so useful in damp temperate climates. This is why it is important to have an area which is dry underfoot, such as concrete hard-standing, available for domestic donkeys so that they are not standing on wet ground.
Prolonged standing on wet ground is very commonly implicated in the development of hoof conditions such as thrush and white line disease, which can be painful and difficult to treat. Hoof angles are also different, with the donkey hoof appearing much more boxy compared to the horses.
Farriers must have knowledge of the donkey hoof when trimming to promote good hoof balance and prevent lameness. The inner hoof structures are also different which becomes important when x-raying and may have an impact on clinical decision making, especially if x-ray results were to be incorrectly interpreted.
Why do donkeys kick?
Donkeys, like other equines, have a keen fight or flight nervous system response. However, compared with horses, the donkeys fight defence mechanism is more easily engaged and can be seen in donkeys displaying more behaviour in the range of standing their ground, or even taking aggressive action when faced with a threat.
Donkeys may also freeze when faced with a threat, which can be mistaken for them being stubborn, when in fact they may just be reacting to a novel situation. Their varied behavioural responses demonstrate how donkeys need to be treated differently to horses, and not just seen as a smaller, longer-eared version of a horse.
Do donkeys share the same diet as horses?
Although the donkey and horse gut are structurally similar, the way in which they operate and digest food are different enough to warrant donkeys needing a different feeding regimen to horses. Donkeys’ maintenance energy requirements are about 50-75% of what a similar sized horse would need.
So, you can see how it would be easy to over-feed a donkey if they were fed with consideration as being a small horse. Both horses and donkeys require ad lib access to forage for optimum gut health as they are naturally trickle feeders.
However, for donkeys this need is better met through the provision of good quality feeding straw rather than hay which is more commonly fed as the bulk of a horse’s diet. Donkeys are browsers as well as grazers and will happily graze upon a hedgerow, or edible leaves and branches, providing access to browse whether naturally occurring, or placed within their enclosure, will enrich both their diet and mental wellbeing.