African Origins of the Domestic Donkey

Beja‐Pereira, Albano; England, Phillip R.; Ferrand, Nuno; Jordan, Steve; Bakhiet, Amel O.; Abdalla, Mohammed; Mashkour, Marjan; Jordana, J.; Taberlet, Pierre; Luikart, Gordon

doi:10.1126/science.1096008

Cited by 253 publications

(194 citation statements)

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“…DNA research indicates that the E. asinus line separated from the caballus line around 3.4–3.9 million years ago 3. The domestic donkey originates from two different African ass subspecies ( Equus africanus africanus and Equus africanus somaliensis 4). Thus, donkeys’ natural ranges did not reach as far north as those of prehistoric horses 5.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hair coat properties of donkeys, mules and horses in a temperate climate

Osthaus

Proops

Long

et al. 2017

Equine Veterinary Journal

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SummaryBackgroundThere are clear differences between donkeys and horses in their evolutionary history, physiology, behaviour and husbandry needs. Donkeys are often kept in climates that they are not adapted to and as such may suffer impaired welfare unless protection from the elements is provided.ObjectivesTo compare some of the hair coat properties of donkeys, mules and horses living outside, throughout the year, in the temperate climate of the UK.Study designLongitudinal study.MethodsHair samples were taken from 42 animals: 18 donkeys (4 females, 14 males), 16 horses (6 females, 10 males) and eight mules (5 females, 3 males), in March, June, September and December. The weight, length and width of hair were measured, across the four seasons, as indicators of the hair coat insulation properties.ResultsDonkeys’ hair coats do not significantly differ across the seasons. All three measurements of the insulation properties of the hair samples indicate that donkeys do not grow a winter coat and that their hair coat was significantly lighter, shorter and thinner than that of horses and mules in winter. In contrast, the hair coats of horses changed significantly between seasons, growing thicker in winter.Main limitationsThe measurements cover only a limited range of features that contribute to the thermoregulation of an animal. Further research is needed to assess shelter preferences by behavioural measures, and absolute heat loss via thermoimaging.ConclusionsDonkeys, and to a lesser extent mules, appear not to be as adapted to colder, wet climates as horses, and may therefore require additional protection from the elements, such as access to a wind and waterproof shelter, in order for their welfare needs to be met.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hair coat properties of donkeys, mules and horses in a temperate climate

Osthaus

Proops

Long

et al. 2017

Equine Veterinary Journal

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“…Subspecific forms of its ancestor, Equus africanus, were found across arid zones of Africa and the Arabian peninsula, and it was therefore moot whether donkeys were domesticated in Africa or the Near East, as well as whether Asiatic wild equines such as the kiang and kulan contributed to donkey ancestry. Analysis of wild and domestic mtDNA sequences of the species and its close relatives from 52 countries identified two maternal lineages within domestic donkey (Beja- Pereira et al 2004). …”

Section: Donkeysmentioning

confidence: 99%

Domesticating Animals in Africa: Implications of Genetic and Archaeological Findings

2011

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Domestication is an ongoing co-evolutionary process rather than an event or invention. Recent zooarchaeological and animal genetics research has prompted a thorough revision of our perspectives on the history of domestic animals in Africa. Genetic analyses of domestic animal species have revealed that domestic donkeys are descended from African ancestors, opened a debate over the contribution of indigenous aurochs to African domestic cattle, revealed an earlier and possibly exogenous origin of the domestic cat, and reframed our vision of African dogs. Genetic diversity studies and mapping of unique traits in African cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and chickens indicate adaptations to regional environmental challenges and suggest hitherto unknown and complex patterns of interactions both among Africans and with Southwest Asia and other Asian regions on the Indian Ocean. This article argues against the static perspective on domestication as invention and for viewing it as a dynamic, locally based and continuing process.

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“…Archeologists add the dimension of time, with evidence that donkeys were native to the arid, stony deserts of north and north-eastern Africa (Beja-Pereira et al 2004), the original wild populations possibly extending into Arabia and the southern Levant (Kimura et al 2011). They were likely to have been first recruited for work in multiple separate locations.…”

Section: Multi-dimensional Donkeys Multi-dimensional Landscape -Animmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Multi-dimensional Donkey in Landscapes of Donkey-Human Interaction

Blakeway¹

2014

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African Origins of the Domestic Donkey

Cited by 253 publications

References 0 publications

Hair coat properties of donkeys, mules and horses in a temperate climate

Hair coat properties of donkeys, mules and horses in a temperate climate

Domesticating Animals in Africa: Implications of Genetic and Archaeological Findings

The Multi-dimensional Donkey in Landscapes of Donkey-Human Interaction

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