The Andalusian, , is a Spanish

breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...

of domestic

donkey The donkey or ass 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 domes ...

. It is native to the province of Córdoba in

Andalusia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...

, and may also be known as the Asno Cordobés after the city of Córdoba or the Asno de Lucena because of its supposed origin in the town of Lucena, Córdoba. It is an

endangered breed An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, invasiv ...

, and is classified by the Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación, the Spanish agriculture ministry, as an "autochthonous breed in danger of extinction".

History

The breed was considered the most prized in the eighteenth century, and the Spanish crown would not permit them to leave the country; however,

King Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

sent two males (jacks) to U.S. President

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

in 1785. Only one jack survived the sea journey to

Mount Vernon Mount Vernon is the former residence and plantation of George Washington, a Founding Father, commander of the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, and the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha. An American landmar ...

, and was named "Royal Gift". Its

conservation status The conservation status of a group of organisms (for instance, a species) indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation ...

is critical. At the end of 2013 the total population was reported at 749, of which almost all were in

Andalucia Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It i ...

Characteristics

The Andalusian is a large donkey, standing some at the

withers Withers are the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, this ridge is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, catt ...

, and of medium length. The head is of medium size, with a convex profile; the neck is muscular. The coat is short and fine, and soft to the touch; it is pale grey, sometimes almost white. The Andalusian is strong and sturdy, yet docile and calm. It is well adapted to the hot and arid conditions of its native environment. In 2018, the population of Andalusian donkeys had risen to 839 animals, but only 14 were confirmed as purebred females. This highlights the ongoing concern regarding the genetic purity and small population size of the breed.

References

Andalusia Donkey breeds originating in Spain Donkey breeds {{bots, deny=Citation bot