Eat bitterly, for free donkeys.
Entering through the northwest gate of the Beijing Zoo, in the large herbivore exhibition area on the left-hand side, you will see two precious wild donkeys, the Asian wild donkey and the Tibetan wild donkey.
Domestic donkey is a familiar domestic animal, generally not as big as a domestic horse, shoulder height of 110-136 cm, weight 130-260 kg, but the head is larger, the ears are longer than the domestic horse, no frontal hair, the mane of the neck is short and upright, and the limbs are thinner and longer than the domestic horse. ▼▼▼
Therefore, we can appreciate these two wild donkeys on the basis of the form of a domestic donkey. Let's start with the Asian wild ass. Its body shape is larger than the domestic donkey, the ears and tail are not as long as the domestic donkey, the shape is strong and fierce, more like the mule produced by the hybridization of the domestic donkey and the domestic horse, so it is also called "wild mule" in its place of origin. Asian wild donkeys are 100-150 cm tall at the shoulder and weigh about 260 kg. Its head is short and wide , the snout is slightly rounded and blunt , and the snout and inner ears are white. The hairs on the back are pale brown with a sandy yellow, darker in winter and lighter in summer. The mane is dark brown. The upper and medial parts of the abdomen and limbs are milky white, and the coat color of the back and abdomen gradually transitions, and there is a more obvious dividing line in the upper part of the ventral side. Another obvious feature is a beautiful dark brown dorsal midline from the shoulder to the base of the tail, slightly wider at the hips. In addition, it has two brownish-black spots in the recesses behind the ends of its limbs. ▼▼▼
Look at the Tibetan wild donkey. Its body shape is generally similar to or slightly larger than that of the Asian wild ass, but there are many differences, first of all, the body color is darker, and the summer is reddish brown; the coat color line between its back and abdomen is also more pronounced, and it is lower, located in the lower part of the ventral side; the dorsal midline from the shoulder to the base of the tail is wider, more pronounced, and dark brown. In addition, one of the most prominent features is that it has a typical white wedge-shaped spot on the posterior side of its shoulders, extending upward from the abdomen and the anterior ventral angle is curved. ▼▼▼
Although the two wild donkeys are distinguishable in appearance, they are generally similar, so they were previously considered two subspecies of the same species. However, neither of these wild donkeys is a direct ancestor of the domestic donkey, which was domesticated by the African wild donkey produced in northeastern Africa more than 3000 BC. It is said that there have also been attempts to domesticate Asian wild donkeys and Tibetan wild donkeys, but they are more wild and have not yet been able to be successfully domesticated, longer than the history of human domestic horses. Although the temperament of the domestic donkey is more stubborn, it has the advantages of strong endurance, tolerance to rough feeding, intelligence, ability to endure hardships, walking steadily, etc., can withstand the ravages of storms, and can be used to carry goods, passengers, grind and cultivate. Interestingly, it has been found that Asian wild asses can sometimes cross with domestic horses, producing red and white "mottled horses".
In the wild, the Asian wild donkey is distributed in the western and central parts of Asia, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Tibet, northwestern Sichuan and western Inner Mongolia in China, while the Tibetan wild donkey is distributed in Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and southern Xinjiang. The living environment of wild donkeys is diverse, in different production areas, respectively, inhabit the arid climate of grasslands, semi-deserts, hills, mountains and plateaus, up to 4000-5000 meters above sea level, much larger than the range of activities of Przewalski's wild horses living there, can enter the higher altitude of the mountain zone. However, the wild donkey's habitat is also not very fixed, often wandering around, but the range of activities has a clear focus around the water source. It has strong adaptability, is extremely hardy, is not afraid of wind and snow, and is not afraid of the sun, and is a very typical desert animal. ▼▼▼
Wild donkeys love flocks, led by robust males, and form a certain social sequence. ▼▼▼
In the spring and summer, they tend to form small groups, foraging during the day and resting at night. After autumn, larger groups form, often reaching hundreds or even thousands. Its pectoral muscles are more developed, the limbs are slightly slender, strong and powerful, the hoof shape is narrower and higher than that of the donkey and the domestic horse, so it is very good at running, fast and durable, can run 40-50 kilometers in one breath, the maximum speed can reach 64 kilometers, and it is a long-distance runner on the desert grassland. ▼▼▼
The tail of the wild donkey is slender, the upper half is 2/3 thinner and less hairy, and the lower half is 1/3 with more and longer tail hair, but the shades are different, the middle color is dark, the sides and the inside are light, and the end has spike hairs, so it will not raise a fluffy and hairy tail like a wild horse when running. The group walks in an orderly manner, with the male leader taking the lead, the cubs in the middle, and the female pressing in the back, with little chaos. It also likes to bathe, can swim, has a keen sense of sight and hearing, and is highly vigilant. There is usually very little chirping, and it does not make a strange call like a donkey. Only males howl when they are out of group, courtship, and fighting, and their voices are hoarse and low, similar to horse hisses. ▼▼▼
When eating, "sentries" are sent out to "stand guard" outside, and in case of danger, they will issue "alarms" and the leader will lead the group to flee quickly. It feeds mainly on sandy plants such as pig hairy vegetables, wild onions, reeds, tamarinds, and knotweeds in the Gobi, and in alpine areas, it feeds on alpine plants, and its intestines can take in a lot of nutrients in rough food, and in zoos, it mainly feeds on hay. ▼▼▼
Sometimes wild donkeys will feed in one place with herbivores such as goose-throated antelopes, but they will not interfere with each other. In order to find plenty of food and water, wild donkeys travel 20-30 kilometers a day. It is more thirst-tolerant, can not drink water for several days, and can also chew ice and lick snow when there is a lack of water in winter.
Asian wild donkeys mate in estrus from August to September, and the frequent sniffles are the most prominent signs of female estrus. In order to compete for females, the fight between males is very fierce, often biting, kicking, and even bloody, and it is difficult for the loser to have the opportunity to mate with the female to become a "singleton donkey". Females generally give birth to one litter every 2 years, with a gestation period of 12 months and a litter per litter, which is born in June to August of the following year. The cubs have a strong instinct to adapt to the environment, and after birth, the fetal hair is dry and can stand upright to feed, and after a few hours, they can follow the female's activity. ▼▼▼
Grass is eaten about 50 days after birth, the lactation period is about 1 year, and sexual maturity is 3-4 years old. The life expectancy is 25-30 years.
The numbers of Wild Asian and Tibetan Wild Donkeys used to be very large, and hundreds or more large groups could often be seen in deserts and grasslands, but due to over-hunting, especially the extensive development of farmland, pastures, oil fields and mines, their numbers were greatly reduced, and their habitats were rapidly shrinking, and they should be strictly protected.
(All wild donkey pictures in this article are taken by the author)