A LOVEABLE DONKEY

 I have combined two posts here from my old blog.  The dates published were in summer and fall of 2013.

We stopped by an old wooden gate to take my photos. I hung around quite a while waiting for her to look up hoping for a better picture, but she was too interested in munching on all that sweet grass. We were on a relatively short ride in the countryside, not too far from here. I believe she is a Miniature Mediterranean donkey. I visited several websites online and it was the closest I could get to an ID. I learned the following information from this website. It belongs to the Rosamind Gifford Zoo at Burnett Park in Syracuse, New York.

"Miniature Mediterranean donkeys originated in the Mediterranean area of Northern Africa, and have been established in the areas of Sicily, Sardinia and the United States. Their diet in the wild: grasses, shrubs and desert plants. At the zoo where I found this information, they are fed hay and mineral supplements.

Their life span in the wild is 25 to 30 years old. In human care, 30 to 35 years. There are three categories of donkeys: Miniature (36 inches tall and under), Standard (37 to  54 inches tall, and Mammoths (greater than 54 inches tall).

The miniature Mediterranean donkey uses vocalizations to communicate with other donkeys. Some of their vocalizations are so loud that they can be heard from over a mile away.

Miniature Mediterranean donkeys curl their top lip and show their front teeth when they discover a new or interesting smell. This response is called a "flehmen response," and it helps to move smells to an organ that processes new smells.

Male donkeys are called "jacks" and females are called "jennets" or "jennies".  Baby donkeys are called "foals", just like those of a horse."

I read elsewhere that they were imported into America in 1929 by Mr. Robert Green, a New York Stockbroker. He is quoted as saying, "Miniature donkeys possess the affectionate nature of a Newfoundland pony, the resignation of a cow, the durability of a mule, the courage of a tiger and the intellectual capability only slightly inferior to man". More information can be found at this link.

They are considered to be without doubt the most charming, sweet-natured and affectionate animals on earth.  

They are intelligent, easy-going and easily trained, and become very attached to their owners and to other donkeys they live with.  They make wonderful pets for both young and old.

It is also important to note that they are social animals and need company as they will pine if they are left on their own. This sweet little donkey was in a field with several goats.

I decided to combine another post for today. The same donkey with his other companions in the field, the goats mentioned above. These photos were taken in the Fall a few months later. It was dreary weather and drizzled steadily. However, this didn't deter us from stopping at the gate entrance. When traveling on the same road we usually see lots of goats and a solitary Mediterranean donkey. They weren't as close as they normally are, no close-ups this time. We observed one interesting interaction between the donkey and a young goat.

There was the donkey, doing what donkeys love to do, chomp on tasty grass.

He looked up and stared at us briefly and then went back to eating.  My attention turned to the metal cut-out of the goat on my right.  It wasn't there on our last visit a few months ago.

A little grainy but I saw a young goat eating out of what looked like an enormous pumpkin. He was looking towards to the rest of his tribe/trip. What do you call a group of goats? A tribe or a trip.  

He decided it was time to join his family, maybe its mother had called him, who knows.  As he was walking past the donkey, something odd happened.  

The donkey's ears flattened and he started chasing the goat.  

That young goat took off as fast as its little legs could go.

When the goat rejoined its family, the donkey stopped and they were joined by a little white dog, that saw us looking from over the gate and barked very loudly at us. We took the hint and thought it was time to move on. Good little guard dog and for such a tiny body he had a very loud bark.

Something else I learned today, I didn't know a donkey could move that fast! Why do you think he behaved that way?  Normally whenever we have seen both donkey and goats, they have been quite amicable towards each other.  Is it a protective instinct on the donkey's part, a herding instinct like that of a sheep dog? All I know is that I absolutely adore donkeys, goats too but my special spot today goes for the donkey.

Thanks for visiting everyone, and 

I hope your week is going well.