The work of Mini Donkeys through the Ages

 

The work of donkeys through the ages

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. Miniature Donkey For Sale

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. Mini Donkey For Sale

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. Miniature Donkeys For Sale

History

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. Baby Mini Donkey For Sale

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.