The African wild ass (Equus africanus) is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey (Equus asinus), which is sometimes placed within the same species. The African wild ass is a critically endangered species of donkey found around the Horn of Africa.
Its former range included Egypt, Sudan, and Libya, but persecution for meat and hide have reduced their population to a mere few hundreds. They live in the deserts and other arid areas of the Horn of Africa, in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. It formerly had a wider range north and west into Sudan, Egypt, and Libya.
Table Of Content
- Physical Description
- Distribution
- Subspecies
- Habitat
- Behavior
- Diet
- Mating & Reproduction
- Life-cycle
- Lifespan
- Sounds & Communication
- Adaptations
- Predators
- IUCN Conservation Status
- Interesting Facts
- Video
- Scientific Classification
Physical Description
The African wild ass is about 1.2 metres (4 ft) tall and weighs approximately 250 kilograms (600 lb). African wild asses have short, smooth coats that are light grey to fawn in color, fading quickly to white on the undersides and legs. The short, smooth coat is a light grey to fawn colour, fading quickly to white on the undersides and legs. There is a slender, dark dorsal stripe in all subspecies, while in the Nubian wild ass (E. a. africanus), as well as the domestic donkey, there is a stripe across the shoulder.
Size: The African wild ass is around 6.6 ft (2 m) long with a height of between 4.25 and 4.92 ft (1.25-1.45m) at the shoulder.
Weight: They weigh around 510-610 lbs (230-275 kg).
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Color: They have a fawn to light grey smooth and short coat, which fades to white around the undersides. There is a rigid, upright and black-tipped mane on the nape of the neck. Their large ears are bordered with black.
The legs of the Somali wild ass (E. a. somaliensis) are horizontally striped with black, resembling those of a zebra. On the nape of the neck, there is a stiff, upright mane, the hairs of which are tipped with black. The ears are large with black margins. The tail terminates with a black brush.
Distribution
One can find an African wild ass in the countries of Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. Nowadays, African wild asses occur in parts of Eritrea and Ethiopia, and some populations can be found in Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and Egypt.
Subspecies
There are two subspecies of the African wild ass. They are the Somali wild ass (E. a. somaliensis) and the Nubian wild ass (E. a. africanus).
Habitat
They prefer to inhabit a desert or semi-desert habitats. African wild asses are well suited to life in a desert or semidesert environment. Habitat: African wild asses - arid and semi-arid shrub or grassland.
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Behavior
They are crepuscular and stay active at dawn and dusk. They spend the hot hours of the daytime in shades. These animals live in a very flexible social system, frequently gathering in temporary groups consisting of up to 50 individuals, and may be either single-sex or mixed. They are most active in the cooler hours between late afternoon and early morning. These mammals spend the hottest part of the day in shelters.
They are territorial; adult males have been seen defending territories of up to 9 sq. miles. Adult males of this species control large home ranges, typically placed near constant sources of water, which provide access to females that pass through their territories. They mark their territories with heaps of droppings. Because of the size of the territory, the alpha male has to withstand the presence of subordinate males within their territory. Subordinates are kept afar from the females. Meanwhile, other males usually join bachelor groups. Females and their young form separate groups.
They form herds consisting of up to 50 individuals. Unlike most ungulates, they rarely flee at the sign of danger, instead investigating the situation before deciding on the next course of action. However, unlike most hoofed mammals, their tendency is to not flee right away from a potentially dangerous situation, but to investigate first before deciding what to do. When they need to, they can defend themselves with kicks from both their front and hind legs. They can defend themselves well by kicking with both the hind and front legs.
Diet
They are primarily grazers and live on herbs and grasses. The African wild asses' diet consists of grasses, bark, and leaves.
Mating & Reproduction
They do not have a fixed breeding season and can mate at any time of the year, but prefer the rainy season. The gestation period lasts for around 12 months after which one offspring is born. African wild asses have a polygynous mating system, where each territorial male mates with numerous females. These animals breed during the wet season.
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Females of this species are able to produce offspring after 3-4 years old. They yield young every year, from October to February. A jennet is normally pregnant for about 12 months, though the gestation period varies from 11 to 14 months, and usually gives birth to a single foal. Births of twins are rare, though more common than in horses.
Life-cycle
The young weigh around 19-30 lb (8.6-13.6 kg) at birth. They are fairly well-developed and can stand on their own and nurse just 30 minutes after birth. They are weaned after 5 months.
Although jennets come into heat within 9 or 10 days of giving birth, their fertility remains low and it is usual to wait one or two further oestrous cycles before rebreeding. Both genders reach sexual maturity after 2 years, but males may take up to 3-4 years to gain the right to mate.
Lifespan
They live in the wild for around 30 years, but in captivity, they may survive for up to 50 years. Working donkeys in the poorest countries have a life expectancy of 12 to 15 years; in more prosperous countries, they may have a lifespan of 30 to 50 years.
Sounds & Communication
Typical forms of communication are vocalizations, visual signals, smells, and physical contact. The sounds that they make to communicate with each other are called brays. The loud call or bray of the donkey, which typically lasts for twenty seconds and can be heard over long distances, may help them keep in contact with other donkeys over the wide spaces of the desert. Other than this they also use smells, tactile methods, and visual cues to communicate.
Adaptations
The digestive system of the African wild ass is tough and able to process the desert vegetation they consume, breaking it down and extracting the moisture from the food. The large ears aid them in keeping themselves cool in the desert heat. Donkeys have large ears, which pick up more distant sounds and may help cool the donkey's blood.
They are almost as quick as horses because of the strong limbs. They are also rather agile. The Somali wild ass is also very agile and nimble-footed, capable of moving quickly across boulder fields and in the mountains. On the flat, it has been recorded reaching speeds of 70 km/h (43 mph). Wild asses can run swiftly, almost as fast as a horse.
In the absence of surface water to drink, they have been known to drink salty or brackish water. Despite being primarily adapted for living in an arid climate, they are dependent on water, and when not receiving the needed moisture from vegetation, they must drink at least once every three days.
Predators
Most adult African wild asses are on a constant lookout for trouble. Predation mainly occurs on the young and old. Coyotes are the only natural threat to donkeys.
IUCN Conservation Status
Though the species itself is under no threat of extinction, due to abundant domestic stock (donkeys and burros), the two extant wild subspecies are both listed as critically endangered. As reported by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) resource, the total population size of this species is less than 570 individuals, 400 of which live in Eritrea, less than 160 in Ethiopia, and less than 10 in Somalia. According to the IUCN Red List, the total number of African wild asses in Eritrea and Ethiopia may be as many as 600 individuals.
The African wild ass is legally protected in the countries where it is currently found, although these measures often prove difficult to enforce. A protected population of the Somali wild ass exists in the Yotvata Hai-Bar Nature Reserve in Israel, to the north of Eilat. This reserve was established in 1968 with the view to bolster populations of endangered desert species.
These animals are also hunted for food and for traditional medicine in both Ethiopia and Somalia. Competition with domestic livestock for grazing, and restricted access to water supplies caused by agricultural developments, pose further threats to the survival of this species. They have also suffered from interbreeding with domestic animals. There are now only a few hundred individuals left in the wild.
In 2008, White Oak acquired a herd of Somali wild ass to participate with international efforts to help save this species from extinction. As one of five institutions in the US breeding this species, we work closely with zoo partners in Conservation Centers for Species Survival to ensure a strong sustainability program is in place, as an insurance against the extinction of the wild population of Somali wild ass. Since their arrival, White Oak has produced 20 foals. White Oak’s success with this endangered species is due to its spacious facilities and staff experience with other endangered equine species such as the Grevy’s Zebra.
Interesting Facts
Donkeys are wonderfully thoughtful, intelligent animals. Donkeys have a notorious reputation for stubbornness. This has been attributed to a much stronger sense of self-preservation than exhibited by horses. Stubbornness is often associated with the donkey, but their seemingly-recalcitrant behavior is due more to their strong sense of self-preservation than sheer hard-headedness. In fact, people often mistake a donkey’s fear or uncertainty for stubbornness.
When faced with a potential threat, donkeys are more likely to stand their ground than horses. Although formal studies of their behavior and cognition are rather limited, donkeys are quite intelligent, cautious, playful, and eager to learn. Donkeys are affectionate animals and enjoy the companionship of people. Donkeys require companions or they become depressed. The donkey's favorite pastime is rolling.
Donkeys can interbreed with other members of the family Equidae, and are commonly interbred with horses. The hybrid between a jack and a mare is a mule. The hybrid between a stallion and a jennet is a hinny, and is less common. Like other inter-species hybrids, mules and hinnies are usually sterile. Donkeys can also breed with zebras in which the offspring is called a zonkey.
Over 40 million donkeys exist worldwide. China has the most, followed by Pakistan, Ethiopia and Mexico. While domesticated species are increasing in numbers, the African wild ass and another relative, the onager, are endangered.
Video
Celebrating New Life: Critically Endangered African Wild Ass Born in the UK
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Perissodactyla
- Family: Equidae
- Genus: Equus
- Scientific Name: Equus africanus
