The Thüringer Waldesel or Thuringian Forest Donkey is a recently created German breed of domestic donkey.

History

The Thüringer Waldesel derives from a small group of miscellaneous donkeys collected in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and West Thuringia, supplemented with similar-looking donkeys brought from the United Kingdom, and bred both at the Thüringer Zoopark Erfurt [de] at Erfurt in Thuringia, and at the Wildpark Hundshaupten [de] in Egloffstein in Bavaria.[2]: 48  In 2019 the breeding programme was approved by the Landesbetrieb Landwirtschaft Hessen [de], and the Thüringer Waldesel was recognised as a breed. Seven jennies and two jacks were registered in the stud-book.[4] As there are very few of the donkeys, the breed is reported to DAD-IS as critically endangered.[1]

Characteristics

The Thüringer Waldesel is of medium size. Jacks stand 100–110 cm at the withers, and weigh about 133–210 kg; jennies stand some 95–110 cm, and weigh 156–185 kg.[3]: 30  The coat is usually stone-grey, with dark shoulder-stripe and eel stripe; the legs often display zebra stripes.[3]: 30 

References

  1. ^ a b Breed data sheet: Thüringer Waldesel / Germany (Ass). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Waltraud Kugler, Hans-Peter Grunenfelder, Elli Broxham (2008). Donkey Breeds in Europe: Inventory, Description, Need for Action, Conservation; Report 2007/2008. St. Gallen, Switzerland: Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe. Archived 2 September 2009.
  4. ^ Berichte der GEH-Koordinatoren 2019 (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Accessed March 2021.