Size: Height; 0.9-1.6 m. Weight; 180-250 kg.

Habitat and Distribution: True wild asses are found in the deserts of northern Africa and the Arabian peninsula. However, domesticated donkeys are now found throughout the world.

Age: Around 28 years in the wild but up to 50 years in captivity.

Groups and Breeding: In the wild, small herds of wild asses are made up of one male and several females whilst larger herds have multiple males and females. There don't seem to be any permanent bonds among individuals and herds are highly flexible, breaking up and reforming on an almost daily basis. Donkeys can breed at any time of the year with a gestation lasting 12 months. Foals can stand unaided and suckle within 30 minutes of birth, with young being weaned after 5 months.

Diet: Plants, grass, leaves and bark.

• Donkeys can carry up loads of to 90 kg at a time and were used to help build the great pyramids of Egypt.
• It is thought that donkeys are descended from the African Wild Ass and were domesticated around 4000 BC. Egyptian tombs indicate that possession of donkeys was a status symbol and that powerful people would possess over 1000.
• There are over 44 million donkeys in the world today.
• A mule is a cross between a male donkey and a female horse while a hinny is a cross between a female donkey and a male horse. Neither is fertile so cannot breed further.
• In the wild, herds of donkeys can number as many as 100 individuals.