The donkey or ass is a member of the Equidae family, an odd-toed ungulate, thought to have descended from its wild ancestor, the African wild ass.

Donkeys do better on short pasture.

Its biological name is Equus asinus. Evidence suggests that they were domesticated as long as 6000 years ago. Estimates put the world donkey population at 44 million, with 11 million in China alone.

In every day parlance, the term “ass” generally refers to a larger, horse-sized animal, and “donkey” to a smaller, pony-sized one. A male donkey or ass is called a jack, a female a jenny, or jennet, and 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 vigour. A mule is the offspring of a jack (male) donkey and a mare (female horse). The mating of a male horse and a female donkey produces a hinny.

While most domestic donkeys range from 0.9 to over 1.4 m tall, they range in size, and one breed in southern Spain can reach up to 1.6 m.

Donkeys have developed very loud vocalizations, which help keep in contact with other donkeys over the wide spaces. The best-known call is referred to a “bray,” which can be heard for over three kilometres. Donkeys in the wild can defend themselves with a powerful kick of their hind legs as well as by biting and striking with their front feet.

They have a reputation for stubbornness, but it is probably their highly developed sense of self-preservation that makes it difficult for keepers to get them to do what they see as being contrary to its own best interest. Even so, they appear to be quite intelligent, cautious, friendly, playful, and eager to learn.

Donkeys need companionship - never have a donkey alone.

Donkeys need smaller feed portions than horses of comparable height and weight.

The vast majority of donkeys are used for the same types of work that they have been doing for 6000 years. Their most common role is for transport, whether riding, pack transport, or pulling carts. They may also be used for farm tillage, threshing, raising water, milling, and other jobs.

Other donkeys are used to sire mules, as companions for horses, to guard sheep, and as pets. A male donkey (jack) can be crossed with a female horse to produce a mule. A male horse can be crossed with a female donkey (jennet or jenny) to produce a hinny.

In prosperous countries, the welfare of donkeys both at home and abroad has recently become a concern and a number of sanctuaries for retired and rescued donkeys have been set up.