The African wild ass (Equus africanus) is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey, which is sometimes placed within the same species.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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GraminivoreIn zoology, a graminivore (not to be confused with a granivore) is an herbivorous animal that feeds primarily on grass. Graminivory is a form of g...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withAfrican wild asses have short, smooth coats that are light grey to fawn in color, fading quickly to white on the undersides and legs. There is a slender, dark dorsal stripe in all subspecies, while in the Nubian wild ass (E. a. africanus), as well as the domestic donkey, there is a stripe across the shoulder. The legs of the Somali wild ass (E. a. somaliensis) are horizontally striped with black, resembling those of a zebra. On the nape of the neck, there is a stiff, upright mane, the hairs of which are tipped with black. The ears are large with black margins. The tail terminates with a black brush. The hooves are slender and approximately the diameter as the legs.
Nowadays, African wild asses occur in parts of Eritrea and Ethiopia, and some populations can be found in Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, and Egypt. Within this territory, scattered populations of the African wild asses are found in the hill and stony deserts, semi-arid bushlands as well as grasslands with the presence of surface water.
These animals live in a very flexible social system, frequently gathering in temporary groups consisting of up to 50 individuals, and may be either single-sex or mixed. Adult males of this species control large home ranges, typically placed near constant sources of water, which provide access to females that pass through their territories. Meanwhile, other males usually join bachelor groups. Females and their young form separate groups. They can live without water for as long as a few days. These mammals spend the hottest part of the day in shelters. They are most active in the cooler hours between late afternoon and early morning. Typical forms of communication are vocalizations, visual signals, smells, and physical contact. The African wild asses perceive their environment through acute hearing as well as developed senses of vision and smell.
As herbivores (graminivores, folivores), African wild asses mainly feed upon grasses, supplementing this diet with occasional leaves, tubes, and herbs.
African wild asses have a polygynous mating system, where each territorial male mates with numerous females. These animals breed during the wet season. Females of this species are able to produce offspring after 3-4 years old. They yield young every year, from October to February. A single baby is born after about 1 year of gestation.
Over the centuries, these animals have been captured in the wild to be domesticated. They have also suffered from interbreeding with domestic animals. The African wild ass is now hunted in Ethiopia and Somalia both for food and traditional medicine. Due to the recent civil unrest in these two countries, the number of weapons in circulation has immensely increased, which can negatively impact the local population of African wild asses. These mammals also compete for food with domestic livestock. Additionally, they are threatened by agricultural development, reducing the required amount of suitable water supplies.
As reported by the Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) resource, the total population size of this species is less than 570 individuals, 400 of which live in Eritrea, less than 160 in Ethiopia, and less than 10 in Somalia. Additionally, Sudan is believed to hold a relatively large population of 1,500 individuals, which may be feral. According to the IUCN Red List, the total number of African wild asses in Eritrea and Ethiopia may be as many as 600 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Critically Endangered (CR) and its numbers continue to decrease.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...