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Friday, October 27, 2017
 
 
@ Your VisitMeet Our AnimalsMammalsSicilian Donkey
 


SICILIAN DONKEY

The donkey was domesticated long before the horse. The ancestry of the modern domestic donkey lies in three African wild asses, the Nubian, Somali, and North African. Hybridization between the Nubian and Somali also resulted in today’s domestic donkey. There are three breeds of donkey recognized by North American registries; the Miniature, Standard, and Large Standard.


 


The Sicilian donkey is a miniature breed of domestic donkey, standing only 28-38 inches tall at the withers. They usually weigh between 250 and 450 pounds. The most common color is gray, but they can range from black, brown, chestnut, white, or spotted. The Sicilian breed is noted for a cross-shaped marking along the back beginning at the base of the neck. Legend says that Jesus rode a Sicilian donkey and that is the reason for the cross-shaped marking.





 

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