African Wild Ass (Equus africanus) & Domesticated Donkey (Equus asinus) Fact Sheet: Diet & Feeding

• Donkeys are ungulates with browsing and grazing habits.
• Consume grasses, bark, leaves, even creosote bushes in desert areas. (Groves 1974)
• Prefer grassy parts of the habitat over shrub or woodland parts
• Can survive with little water and can tolerate even salty water. (Klingel 1990)
• In wild, Equus africanus individuals sometimes go for 2-3 days without water. (Groves 1974)
• Have more endurance and tolerate reduced food and water better than other horse species. (Klingel 1990)
• Domestic donkeys can survive in Death Valley, CA
• Young foals and nursing females need to be near water for daily drinks. (Moehlman 2002)
• Donkeys and other asses have evolved to use sparse fibrous vegetation and have more efficient digestion than horses; their digestion is similar in efficiency to that of goats.(Choshniak et al 1989)

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Choshniak et al (1989)
Groves (1974)
Klingel (1990)
Lamoot et al (2004)
Moehlman (2002)