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* Donkeys can live for over 50 years.

* A donkey is stronger than a horse of the same size.

* Donkeys have incredible memory. They can recognize places and other donkeys they last saw 25 years ago.

* What appears to be stubbornness is actually a highly developed sense of self-preservation. Donkeys won’t do something they see as contrary to their own best interest of safety.

* Training a donkey relies upon showing them, by words and actions, that they can trust you to protect them from harm. They learn what it is we want them to do if we take time to show them.

* The donkey’s original habitat is the desert. In that environment, a donkey can hear the call of another donkey 60 miles away. Their large ears also help keep them cool.

* They don’t like the rain, and being out in it for long periods can damage their health as their fur is not waterproof.

* Donkeys don’t like being kept on their own, although a single donkey will live quite happily with goats. They develop strong bonds, preferring to spend time with their chosen companions. Their bonds are so close that being separated can cause them to become extremely stressed, even ill.

* A herd chooses the strongest donkey to be their leader, even if they’re domesticated. In the wild, the lead donkey would stay to ward off an attack by a wolf or other predator in order to allow the rest of the heard to escape to safety. They are known for acting as protectors and “animal vigilantes,” often warning other animals of danger.

* Communication: Donkeys communicate not only by braying but also through other sounds like growls and whuffles.

* Digestive efficiency: Donkeys have incredibly efficient digestive systems, able to utilize a high percentage of the food they eat. They get up to 95% of their nutrients from a diet consisting of plants generally considered inedible.

* Therapeutic use: They are intelligent, social animals and are sometimes used as therapy animals.

* There are Mini and Mammoth donkeys. The shortest donkey on record stands at just over 2 ft. at their shoulders and the tallest donkey stands at 5 ft. 8 in. at their shoulders.