Thüringer Waldesel

Thuringian Forest Donkey
Conservation status	DAD-IS (2021): critical
Other names	Thuringian Forest Donkey; Mülleresel; Steinesel; Mitteldeutscher Steinesel[citation needed];
Country of origin	Germany
Traits
Weight	Male: 133–210 kg; Female: 156–185 kg;
Height	Male: 100–110 cm; Female: 95–110 cm;
Coat	stone-grey with shoulder-stripe and eel stripe
	Donkey; Equus asinus;

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

^ ^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.
^ ^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.
^ ^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.
^ Berichte der GEH-Koordinatoren 2019 (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Accessed March 2021.

[dad-1] 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.

[cabi-2] 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.

[mon-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.

[geh-4] Berichte der GEH-Koordinatoren 2019 (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Accessed March 2021.

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