Donkey

Equus asinus

The poor person's working horse

Numbers

Weight: 660 lbmidpoint value of the range given in the source material, from 220 to 1,100 pounds depending on the breed; Wikidata lists no value
Length: 80 infrom 67 to 83 inches
Height: 43 infrom 31 to 63 inches
Lifespan: 27 yearsfrom 25 to 30 years
Maximum weight: 1100 lbonly in the largest breeds; the smallest top out around 220 pounds
At work since: 3000 years BCused in the Middle East long before the dromedary camel
Donkeys in China: 11000000 specimens2004 figure, the highest among the countries surveyed in the material

horses have 64 chromosomes and donkeys have 62, so their hybrid offspring inherit 63 chromosomes, an odd number that leaves them sterile.
the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse is a mule, while a male horse and female donkey produce a hinny.
in 2004 China was home to about 11 million donkeys, many of which were still used to pull traditional farm carts.
Italy officially recognizes eight native donkey breeds by law, established by a government decree in 2012.
donkeys and mules still haul luggage and equipment on the island of Alicudi, where roads are steep.
donkey milk once cost over eight francs per liter in France, leading to specialized stables in Paris.
Hippocrates recommended donkey milk to treat poisoning, joint pain, and stubborn wounds that resisted healing.
a feral donkey in the southwestern United States is called a burro, which means donkey in Spanish.
in German, a memory trick or mnemonic is called an Eselsbrücke, which translates as a donkey bridge.
donkey farming in Italy grew by 30 percent between 2004 and 2009, according to the agricultural association Coldiretti.

Five questions about this animal. Pick an answer and find out if it is the right one.

Question 1 of 5

How much can a domestic donkey weigh?

Question 2 of 5

What is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse called?

Question 3 of 5

Why are mules and hinnies sterile?

Question 4 of 5

Which wild animal is the ancestor of the domestic donkey?

Question 5 of 5

Why is donkey milk used for some human babies?

Experiment 1

Weigh your backpack and divide 1,100 pounds by that number. You will discover how many backpacks equal a large donkey.

Experiment 2

Take a map and label Spain, Greece, Italy, and Portugal with their 2004 donkey populations: 130,000, 145,000, 75,000, and 170,000.

Experiment 3

Count 62 beans into one line and 64 into another to compare the total number of chromosomes in a donkey and a horse.