{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "donkey",
  "name": "Donkey",
  "scientificName": "Equus asinus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "Donkeys were domesticated in northeastern Africa around 5,000 years ago and spread worldwide as pack animals, draft animals, and companions. They are intelligent, cautious, and form strong social bonds, with working donkeys still carrying water, goods, and livelihoods across low-income countries today.",
  "conservationStatus": "Domesticated",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Perissodactyla",
    "family": "Equidae",
    "genus": "Equus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 180,
    "lengthM": 1.6,
    "topSpeedKmh": 40,
    "lifespanYears": 30
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Equus asinus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — grass, hay, straw, and browse"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Worldwide on farms, rangelands, and arid regions"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "25–30 years (sometimes over 40 with excellent care)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "80–480 kg (180–1,060 lb) depending on breed"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 40 km/h (25 mph) at a gallop"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Domesticated (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Domesticated from the African wild ass; working and feral donkeys now occur on every inhabited continent, especially in arid regions of Africa and Asia.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Equus asinus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Equus%20asinus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Equus asinus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Equus_asinus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/donkey/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/donkey/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}