All donkeys are classified as equus africanus asinus, including the miniature donkey. However miniature donkeys are a particular breed that is different to small donkeys. Unlike horses donkeys are not easily startled and have a keen sense of curiosity. They are more independent in their thinking than horses and will reason, then make decisions based on their safety. Donkeys have a reputation for stubbornness due to their highly developed sense of self preservation. Thus, it is difficult to force or frighten a donkey into doing something it sees as contrary to its own best interest or safety.

Training a donkey relies upon showing them by gentle words and action. They need to see that they can trust you and you will protect them from harm. They learn what it is we want of them if we take time to gently show them. They remember everything!
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Donkeys originate from desert areas of the earth and in this environment a donkey can hear the call of another donkey 96.5 kms. This acute hearing is due to their large ears which also help to keep them cool. They don’t like the rain and being out in it for long periods can damage their health as their fur is not waterproof.

As food is scarce in the desert, donkeys utilise 95% of what they eat making their manure a poor fertilizer and their digestive system can break down uneatable vegetation and extract moisture from food more efficiently.

Most miniature donkeys are pampered pets, so they tend to enjoy long, full lives with access to food, shelter, and medical assistance whenever they need it. There is a tendency to treat donkeys as if they are small horses, but donkeys are different! Donkeys are not like horses; they differ physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Owning a donkey is most rewarding experience however, during your donkey ownership you may come across things that were unexpected, or unknown to you. Linking in with knowledgeable donkey owners as well as educating yourself is important.

Over 50 million donkeys and mules exist in the world however, the number of pure-bred animals within each breed is generally low, with several on the verge of extinction. For thousands of years donkeys have been the ‘helping hooves’ of humankind and are the original beasts of burden. In many countries of the world, and in many situations, they are used as the preferred mode of transport.

Millions of years ago donkeys and horses had the same ancestors however they have evolved to be very different species where an understanding of these differences is important to the welfare and care of donkeys.

Historically there were two distinct species of wild donkey from which the modern domesticated donkey has descended. The African branch of the species was found in North Africa from the Sahara Desert to the south of the Red Sea and between the Mediterranean Coast. The Asiatic branch of the species came from an area stretching from Northern India to the Red Sea and to Tibet where they had to adapt to different climates, terrains and altitudes.

Donkeys were first domesticated around 6,000 years ago in North Africa and Egypt for meat and milk. Around 2,000 years ago donkeys were among the draught animals used to carry silk from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean along the Silk Road in return for trade goods. The overland route was approximately 6,400km and lasted several years. No single animal completed the entire journey and mixing of breeds occurred as unplanned mating happened enroute to give the beginnings of the diverse range of donkey breeds today. The journey ended in the Mediterranean ports of Greece, Italy, the Middle East, and Alexandria in Egypt.

In Greece donkeys worked on the narrow paths between the vines. Their use for cultivation in vineyards spread through the Mediterranean countries to Spain, whose coast at the southern tip is separated from North Africa by only a few kilometres and it is believed that this was another entry route for the African wild ass.

The Roman Army introduced donkeys into Northern Europe and used donkeys in agriculture and as pack animals. Although donkeys came to England with the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43, they were not commonly documented until after the 1550s. After the mid-17th Century, Oliver Cromwell’s invasion of Ireland saw an influx of donkeys being used to bear the labours of war. Following this, large numbers of donkeys were introduced to the country for the first time as a working draft animal.

From the early-19th Century until the First World War, donkeys picked up the shortfall in work while horses were used in war. At the beginning of the war, the British Army owned just 25,000 horses but within a few weeks they purchased or conscripted another 165,000. Tragically, the horses did not fare well in the war where hundreds of thousands lost their lives. In the absence of their equine friends the British turned to the mule in order to carry out the work of war horses that had either perished or were temperamentally unsuited to the rigours of the front line. By the end of the First World War, the British Army owned 250,000 mules.

It is believed that miniature donkeys were probably a native species from the islands of Sardinia and Sicily. They were used to carry firewood, deliver parcels, and tending to livestock. Sometime in the 1920s miniature donkeys were exported to the United States.

Miniature Mediterranean Donkeys are nearly extinct in their native land of Sardinia and Sicily. However, their numbers are steadily increasing due to the successful breeding programs in the United Kingdom, France, and United States and more recently Australia.

The Egyptians wealth was largely due to the precious metals carried from Africa by donkeys.

Silk was carried by donkeys along the ‘Silk Road’ from the Mediterranean to the Pacific Ocean to the in return for trade goods.

Donkeys worked in vineyards in Greece and Spain walking on the narrow paths between vines.

The donkey was associated with the Syrian God of Wine, Dionysius.

The Roman Army moved donkeys into Northern Europe using them in vineyards, agriculture and as pack animals.

Donkeys came to England with the Roman invasion of Britain in 43CE.

Donkeys are the lifeline to families in many regions of the world. They help with land cultivation, transportation of produce to market, and with the collection of water and wood.

Donkeys are used as guardian animals for sheep, goats and cattle since they have a natural aversion to dogs and foxes and will keep them away from a flock.

Donkeys are often paddocked with horses due to the perceived calming effect they have on nervous horses. If a donkey is introduced to a mare and foal, the foal will often turn to the donkey for support after it has been weaned from its mother.

At Bindo Miniatures our Donkeys do not work rather live a peaceful existence spending their days eating and watching the happenings around them. Many of them have special relationships with our domesticated animals and it is not uncommon for them to be seen smelling the nose of a cat or a dog who is walking in their paddock.