Know Your Donkeys & Mules by Jack Byard
My rating: 4/5 cats
no one’s gonna make an ass out of me!
although, now that i have read this book, being an ass is a pretty noble thing. hardworking, durable, stoic, gentle…
there are worse things to be compared to in the animal kingdom:
horrifying.
donkeys and mules are all right.
this is a poitou:
of which there are about 400 left. in the world.
and this is where i have to yell at nature a little: COME ON, NATURE!! why you gotta make all the cute/cool-looking animals get endangered all the time?
more of those, and fewer of these, please
and look at this guy:
what a cutie! he is a somali wild ass, and he is also in danger. but someone’s on top of that situation:
Today they are a critically endangered species with fewer than 300 animals in their native land. In years past, the killing of a Somali Wild Ass was a serious crime and it was decreed the killer’s hand would be cut off.
but still, asses, you gotta do your part
next up, the catalan donkey
they are tastefully described thusly: To put it delicately, male Catalans are known for their enthusiasm for the female of the species and are notably amorous.
and yet for all that amorousness, they are still in trouble. stop with the courtship, catalans – get to the business!!
the asinara looks like this:
and is white, but not an albino despite its underskin of pink and its pink or blue eyes.
and they live here, which is not too shabby:
and they are plentiful. it is a romantic view, after all…
the balear (artist formerly known as mallorquin or majorcan)
is noted for being strong and healthy with a slightly nervous temperament. The females were used mainly as draft animals, carrying crops of olives, producing the power for the corn mills, and for transporting the farmer and his family
i would be nervous, too, if i was expected to carry POISON on my back. ew. poor donkeys.
more things i learned from this book:
1) apparently, those of us afflicted with lactose-intolerance are able to consume donkey milk with no adverse effects.
2) assisted therapy donkeys exist
3) know your terms for your next sophisticated cocktail party:
a “zedonk” is a cross between a female zebra and a male donkey, while a “zonkey” results from a male zebra and a female donkey.
and Other zebra hybrids include a zebrula/zorse – the cross between a female horse and a male zebra, and a zibrinny – the cross between a male horse and a female zebra.
this book is full of other facts, even though it is just a tiny little thing. and who knew i would get so excited about donkeys. no one but greg stahl. so thanks, greg, for pointing this my way!
fwiends!
