The donkey is a domesticated equine. It derives from the African wild ass, Equus africanus, and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, Equus africanus asinus, or as a separate species, Equus asinus. It was domesticated in Africa some 5000–7000 years ago, and has been used mainly as a working animal since that time.
Donkey
Donkey in an Egyptian painting c. 1298–1235 BC
The Baudet du Poitou is among the largest breeds of donkey
At a livestock market in Niger
The African wild ass or African wild donkey is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey, which is sometimes placed within the same species. They live in the deserts and other arid areas of the Horn of Africa, in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. It formerly had a wider range north and west into Sudan, Egypt, and Libya. It is Critically Endangered, with about 570 existing in the wild.
African wild ass
Close-up of head, Denver Zoo, Colorado
Close-up of hindlegs
Skull of a giant extinct horse, Equus eisenmannae