http://www.greenprophet.com/2012/03/african-wild-ass/
Where Have all the Wild Asses Gone?
Tafline Laylin | March 12th, 2012
The donkey’s ancestor, African Wild Asses once lived all over North
Africa, but now they are critically endangered.
Donkeys aplenty can be found roaming fields and mountains all over
Africa, but their ancestor the African Wild Ass is critically
endangered. Equus africanus used to be found as far north as Morocco’s
Atlas Mountains and as far east as the Arabian peninsular, but now
only a few hundred of them are left in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, and
Sudan. Domesticated about 6,000 years ago, wild asses adapted
extraordinary tools for surviving in harsh desert climates, but now
they are hunted for meat and medicine.
Critically endangered
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) added
Equus africanus to their list of critically endangered species in
2010. It is believed that 10 African wild asses still remain in
Somalia and 160 in Ethiopia, where they are commonly hunted for meat
and medicine.
In Eritrea it appears that the species is actually thriving, with 400
left, although the 1500 thought to be in Sudan are most likely feral.
Wild asses can survive the loss of up to 30% of its weight in water
even though it never usually strays more than 30 km from the nearest
water hole. They can then re-hydrate within 2 to 5 minutes of drinking
water.
Its males are solitary and lasting bonds, aside from that between
mothers and their offspring, have not been recorded. Instead, wild
asses form temporary relationships in groups of 5 or less, probably to
limit competition for scarce water resources.
A regular guest in biblical accounts
The gestation period for wild asses is one year. Females typically
produce one foal every other year, which may contribute to the
species’ vulnerability.
Other factors contributing to their near-extinction include
interbreeding with domestic animals and competition with livestock for
grazing, as well as limited access to water supplies as a result of
new agricultural developments.
A regular guest in biblical accounts, wild asses are protected by law
in Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia, but in these climatically and
politically unstable countries, wildlife conservation is a low
priority.
:: Greenfudge
----[Mailing List for Eritrea Related News ]----
Received on Mon Mar 12 2012 - 23:01:38 EDT
