How long do donkeys live? Do they live longer than horses? Ben Hart from The Donkey Sanctuary takes a look at their lifespan and why it differs to horses <\/p>
As the term \u2018donkey\u2019s years\u2019 suggests, donkeys can live\u00a0for\u00a0quite\u00a0a number of\u00a0years,\u00a0although there are many things to consider that will enable a donkey to live a long and healthy life, says Ben Hart from The Donkey Sanctuary.<\/a><\/p> In the wild, donkeys can live in to their\u00a0mid-teens,\u00a0while domestication, with its veterinary, hoof and dental care means donkeys can live a much longer life.<\/p> The accepted classification for a \u2018geriatric\u2019 donkey is one that is over 20 years old, but many donkeys live into their 30\u2019s,\u00a0with some going on in to their 40\u2019s, or extremely rarely, their fifth decade.<\/p> This is more the case in donkeys kept as companions rather than as working donkeys, but in both\u00a0situations,\u00a0they deserve and need, special care.<\/p> Donkeys\u00a0tend to live longer than horses live<\/a>,\u00a0and\u00a0this comes down to genetic reasons and species differences.\u00a0A donkey\u2019s digestive system is much more efficient, meaning they only require 50-75% of the food, that a horse of a similar size would need. Read more on the differences between donkeys and horses.<\/p> Domestic donkeys originated from the African wild ass, who lived\u00a0in the sparse arid environment of the semi-arid regions of Northeast Africa. This means they are better suited browsing on shrubs and bushes and are better suited surviving on rough vegetation.<\/p> As equines age, it becomes more difficult for them to chew their food and\u00a0therefore\u00a0extract the nutrition they need\u00a0to maintain a healthy body weight. With horses this can be a real problem as they can\u2019t take on the fibrous bulk they require and hence can lose condition easily and struggle to maintain their weight.<\/p> Whereas a donkey, due to their efficient digestive system, and their ability to get the energy out of their food, will be able to survive on a diet that wouldn\u2019t sustain a horse of the same size and weight. Read more about the differences between horses and donkeys<\/a>.<\/p> This is one of the reasons where domestication has helped both species, and\u00a0how\u00a0specific feed, such as short chop, enables both species to\u00a0extract the nutrition they need.<\/p> At international animal welfare\u00a0charity\u00a0The Donkey Sanctuary, part of their ongoing care as they age is to alter their diet as appropriate.\u00a0 The care they are given from their dedicated grooms, will hopefully see them living a healthy happy life, in fact, will see them living for donkey\u2019s years.<\/p>How long do donkeys live?<\/h2>
Do donkeys live longer than horses?<\/h2>