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All
male donkeys in the sanctuary are castrated. Why? Because
there’s a lot of inbreeding on the island and we try to avoid having
weak babies.
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When
a female donkey is ready to stand for the stallion, she is in
use. When the male donkey approaches the mare, she will show this
by champing (opening and shutting her mouth and laying her ears back),
urinating and holding her tail up. Most mares will be in use for 5-7
days.
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When
a donkey is pregnant, her gestation period is between 11-13
months.
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When
a baby donkey is born, his sharp hoof is protected by a rubbery
substance which peels within hours of birth.
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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. Because leaving
the group in the sanctuary is not possible, we separate mother and
child.
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Donkeys
have a birth weight of approximately 25 kilograms.
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The
shoulder height is about 60 centimeters when born.
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A
donkey will not leave his mother until she’s having a new
baby.
