Need to do an essay about donkeys ? Here is some information:

Age:

The average age of a donkey varies between 35 and 40 years. However, we know cases where donkeys have reached the age of 50.

You are able to determine how old a donkey is, by observing the teeth. Young donkeys have oval teeth. On growing older the teeth change from triangular to round. So, older donkeys have round teeth seen from above. A donkey becomes an adult when it is five. Only the stallion gets a wisdom tooth. Old animals get “bags” on their eyes. The older the animal is, the deeper the pouches are.

Mon Petit is in this picture 6 months old and is shedding his baby hair.

Cloudy approx. 15 years old

This is Picasso appr. 35 years old

Reproduction:

One Eye weighs about 125 kg and is between 100 - 130 cm high.
Negrita weighs about 20 kg at birth and is 60 cm high

The mare carries the unborn 11 to 13 months. She nurses her baby until a new foal is born.

Right after giving birth the mare is very fertile. To protect her newborn against the males, she leaves the group temporarily and takes her foal with her. She returns after a couple of weeks, when the young animal is stronger.

Height and weight:

Baby donkeys have a birth weight of approximately 25 kilograms and when they are adult they weigh between 100 and 150 kilograms. The shoulder height is about 60 centimeters when born and vary between 100 and 130 centimeters for an adult donkey. Aruban donkeys are short in comparison to “European” donkeys.

Behavior:

Donkeys are very social animals. They live in groups consisting of 2 to 16 animals. They need their exercise very much. In one day they can walk from North to San Nicolas. They prefer to stay close to their habitat though. Sometimes groups split up, but unify later on. If you see a donkey walking alone, usually something is the matter. This particular donkey is either ill or too dominant and has to find its “own” group.

This donkey is not laughing but fleming. He is smelling the urine or dung (poop) from the other donkeys. He will poop or pee on top of it to tell every other donkey: I am stronger than you are. I am the boss!

Appearances:

We distinguish five different colours for donkeys: white, black, grey, brown and light brown. See the picture of the group above. Most donkeys are distinguished by the stripe it has running from the ears to the tail, crossing at the shoulders.

In the Aruban "winter" the fur will grow. It can even become curly.

Diet:

A donkey has a very poor diet. They survive on grass, leaves from trees, seeds and even cactus. At the donkey sanctuary we feed them hay and horse food. They also like bread, cabbage, lettuce, carrot, corn, potato, cucumber and broccoli. Actually all kinds of veggies and fruit.

Sweets, however, are disastrous for their teeth and digestion, although they love them. A special treat for donkeys can be pineapple, melon, orange, apple and sugar lumps.

The donkey drinks 10 to 15 liters of water a day. That’s a lot. A peculiarity is that they can go without water for four days, if necessary. The donkey drinks 10 to 15 liters of water a day. That’s a lot.

Differences between donkeys and horses:

Donkeys have a short, stout skull. Horses have noble features. The head of a horse is slimmer, and has a more sophisticated form.

A donkey’s tail and manes ares short; a horse’s tail and manes are longer…

Big ears and as you can see short manes

Donkeys have big ears; horses have small ones.

Donkeys are smaller than horses…

Donkeys are smarter and therefore are called stubborn.

Donkeys bray and horses whinney (they make different sounds like HONKY and Hiiiiiiiiiihiiiii)

Come and visit the sanctuary to make your own pictures and ask for a sample of horsepellets and hay to show at school.

GOOD LUCK!

If you still have questions please contact Desiree: 5932933 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.