PEOPLE WHO ARE VIOLENT TO ANIMALS RARELY STOP THERE!

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

Did you know?

Of course you knew that today's entry brought to you by the letter D would be about nothing else but  DONKEYS.
So here are some  facts about  donkeys:
*Donkeys can live for over 50 years
*Donkeys are very strong and intelligent....a donkey is stronger than a horse of the same size. Donkeys   
  have an incredible memory, they can recognize places and other donkeys from up to 25 years ago.  
*Donkeys are not easily startled unlike horses and have a keen sense of curiosity.
*Donkeys have a reputation of being stubborn, but this is due to their highly developed sense for self preservation. It is difficult to force or frighten a donkey into doing something that it sees as contrary to it's own best interest or safety.
*Donkeys are more independent in their thinking than horses and will reason, then make decisions based on their safety. 
*Training a donkey relies upon showing him or her, by words and action, that they can trust you to protect them from harm. They learn what it is we want them to do if we take time to show them.
*Donkeys originate from desert areas of the earth. In the desert environment a donkey is able to hear the call of another donkey 60 miles away, they have far larger ears than horses. Their large ears also help keep them cool. Because food is scarce in the desert, donkeys utilise 95% of what they eat which means their manure is not a very good fertilizer for land. Their digestive system can break down inedible vegetation and extract moisture from food more efficiently. They don't like the rain and being out in it for long periods can damage their health as their fur is not waterproof.
*Donkeys are herd animals. They don't like being kept on their own although a single donkey will live quite happily with goats. Donkeys in a herd will groom each other in the same way as monkeys and chimps do.
*The work of donkeys through the ages :The wealth of the Egyptians was due to the precious metals carried from Africa by donkeys. Donkeys were used to carry silk along the 'Silk Road' from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean in return for trade goods. In Greece donkeys were used for working on the narrow paths between vines and their work in vineyards spread as far as Spain. The donkey was associated with the Syrian God of Wine, DionysiusThe Roman Army moved donkeys into Northern Europe using them in agriculture, vineyards and as pack animals. Donkeys came to England with the Roman invasion of Britain in 43CE. Donkeys are often a lifeline to families in many regions of the world. They help with water and wood fuel collection, land cultivation and transportation of produce to market. Donkeys are used as guard animals for cattle, sheep and goats since they have a natural aversion to canines and will keep them away from a flock. Donkeys are often fielded 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 left its mother.


4 comments:

Deirdra A. Eden said...

I'm an an animal lover too. I love your site and as I browsed your blog I decided to award you the Powerful Woman Writer Award.
Go to http://astorybookworld.blogspot.com/p/awards.html and pick up your award.
~Deirdra

Joan said...

Great entry today, I always enjoy hearing about donkeys! Actually learned a thing or two. :)

Cathy said...

Hi there, I'm not commenting on your post, but I see you're an enneagram enthusiast also. I'm doing my A to Z on the enneagram instinctual subtypes. I'm a One with a very strong Nine wing. Nice to meet you, and to follow you.

Inger said...

What a great post, Tina. As you know I know about donkeys, they are my most favorite animal, after all. But there was so much in this post that I didn't know. Thank you so much for this wonderful post.--Inger