the African game-donkey is acute threatened by the extermination today. it was earlier widespread over the whole northern Africa once. Today, it only occurs in 2 subtypes, that form small remainders. The northeastern subtype, the Nubische game-donkey (Equus africanus africanus), still occurs in the coast-mountains of the red sea in Eritrea and in the Sudan in small populations, whose exact size is unknown.
The Somali-Wildesel (Equus africanus somaliensis) still lives in Ethiopia, above all in the Danakilwüste and in Somalia, where however, the continuances decline while they are moderately protected in Ethiopia. Altogether, the continuance is estimated at only 3000-4000 animals.
Shape The game-donkey, according to race, has a withers-height of 113-140 cm with a weight by 275 kg. The shape resembles that of the horses; Donkeys are however more easily built. The croup is falling short and steep as with the horse. The tail-end of the donkeys carries a tassel from long hair. Game-donkeys have long, pointed ears. The short Stehmähne doesn't form any forehead-mop of hair, it only is enough up to the vertex. The hooves of the donkeys are put on steeply; they are hard and form a smaller step-surface than this of the horse. Chestnuts, wart-good thickenings, have donkeys only at the front-legs at the inside of the forearms. In the surroundings of the muzzle, the fur is whitish. The Gesäuge consists of 2 teats.
Habitat Game-donkeys live in dry landscapes: Deserts, semi-deserts, grass and thornbush-steppes. they often are on stony and indented underground. In the mountains, they live in also steep hillsides. Water-places must be at least every few days attainable for the donkeys.
Way of life Game-donkey-stallions form territories. A male occupies an area up to 10 km2 greatness. Within the precinct, also mares and foals are up to 10 animals in troops. Sometimes, such herds increase on approximately 30 heads. With extreme water-lack, the herds leave the territory and join together to larger associations, that wander on the search of water far. Herds of males are not expelled by a territorial stallion as long as they don't approach the females. The precinct-owner marks its territory through manure-pile, that it puts down at the border. The title is confirmed by it furthermore through frequent shouting and through showy Sich-zur-Schau-Stellen as precinct-owners.
Game-donkeys are predominantly at night and in the twilight active. In the day-heat, they visit the shadow if possible. Wild donkeys are easily movable. they escape from a danger in fast run. In stony and steep terrain, they certainly move and endurance. Opposite the human being, they are very shy and seize the escape, as soon as they noticed its presence. Donkeys don't flee as violently as horses. If necessary, they sit down to the weir opposite an enemy. The herd then forms a circle, from which the donkeys defend themselves through cancellations with hoof-hits and mouthful out. Hearing and face stand under the senses of the game-donkeys at the top. Also the olfactory-fortune is good.
In its present-day spread-area, game-donkeys don't have any enemies besides the human being. Lions, leopards and hyenas became earlier dangerous them.
The voice is the "I-A" known from house-donkeys - shouting. Snorts furthermore and snorts it in the type of the horses. The body-care of the game-donkeys consists of rubbing at rocks or trees. Furthermore, they take sand-baths. After rolling, they shake themselves the dust from the fur. Occasionally beknabbern it itself mutually the mane. With the hind legs, donkeys scratch themselves in the area of neck and shoulders.
Reproduction Territorial stallions fight themselves at the borders of its areas if a steed-y mare is in the proximity. If this female is outside a territory, the stallions prevent themselves mutually from the deck-act in this "no man's land." Into the territory, a steed-y female is driven by the precinct-owner and is prevented from escaping. The male flehmt and frequently screams in this time. The mating is accompanied by an easy bite of the stallion into the withers of the mare. After a Tragzeit of 111/2-12 months (with the house-donkey almost 1 months more), the mare places 1 foals, who are able to follow ready as run-young of its mother on the first life-day. The mother licks the young drily. Since the foal must meet its mother first, the mother-mare expels all Artgenossen and other big-animals from its proximity in the first life-days. The young possibly would join a foreign animal otherwise. The mare becomes again steed-y 10-15 days after placing. The foal stays with the mother approximately 1 years. Donkeys become reproductive-capable in the age of 2-3 years. With 5-7 years, stallions occupy a territory. In captivity, donkeys reach an old of more than 40 years.
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