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

Thuringian Forest Donkey
Conservation statusDAD-IS (2021): critical[1]
Other names
  • Thuringian Forest Donkey
  • Mülleresel[2]: 48 
  • Steinesel[2]: 48 
  • Mitteldeutscher Steinesel[citation needed]
Country of originGermany
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    133–210 kg[3]: 30 
  • Female:
    156–185 kg[3]: 30 
Height
  • Male:
    100–110 cm[3]: 30 
  • Female:
    95–110 cm[3]: 30 
Coatstone-grey with shoulder-stripe and eel stripe[3]: 30 

History

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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

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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

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  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.