Editing Donkey (section)

{{Short description|Domesticated animal primarily used for transportation}}
{{Other uses}}
{{redirect|Burro|the banana cultivar|bluggoe}}
{{Pp-semi|small=yes}}
{{Pp-move-indef}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{subspeciesbox
| name = Donkey
| image = Donkey in Clovelly, North Devon, England.jpg
| image_caption = A donkey in [[Clovelly]], North Devon
| image2 = 
| status = DOM
| genus = Equus
| species = africanus
| species_link = African wild ass
| subspecies = asinus
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[10th edition of Systema Naturae|1758]]
| range_map = 
| range_map_caption = Donkeys, feral, horse world distribution
}}

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'''''.{{r|cabi|p=1}} It was domesticated in Africa some {{val|5,000|-|7,000}} years ago,{{r|cabi|p=2|rossel|p2=3715|todd}} and has been used mainly as a [[working animal]] since that time. 

There are more than 40 million donkeys in the world, mostly in [[underdeveloped]] countries, where they are used principally as [[Working animal|draught]] or [[pack animal|pack animals]]. While working donkeys are often associated with those living at or below subsistence, small numbers of donkeys or asses are kept for breeding, as pets, and for livestock protection in developed countries.

An adult male donkey is a ''jack'' or ''jackass'', an adult female is a ''jenny'' or ''jennet'',<ref name=oad/><ref name=ncd/><ref name=alberta/> and an immature donkey of either sex is a ''[[foal]]''.<ref name=alberta/> Jacks are often mated with [[horse|female horses (mares)]] to produce ''[[mule|mules]]''; the less common hybrid of a [[stallion|male horse (stallion)]] and jenny is a ''[[hinny]]''.