Thüringer Waldesel
# Thüringer Waldesel

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 $Bavaria.^{:48}$ 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. As there are very few of the donkeys, the breed is reported to DAD-IS as critically endangered.

## 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 $kg.^{:30}$ The coat is usually stone-grey, with dark shoulder-stripe and eel stripe; the legs often display zebra $stripes.^{:30}$

