8th May, the World Donkey Day

Today is 8th May 2021, very happy seeing the interest of the people from around the world in our very lovely animal, the poor donkey. I have gone through many articles and twitter and facebook posts. There are posts on the other social media outlets.

I’m very proud of my success, initiation of the world donkey day. I brainstormed this idea to highlight the issues of the poor donkey. The people are busy with their big ideas and we have almost forgotten the role of the creatures like donkey. I initiated this day in 2010 with the great support of Peta Jones, South Africa.https://medium.com/@raziqarkbiodiversity/8-may-world-donkey-day-peta-jones-camel-food-security-and-climate-change-on-wordpress-com-726afc87fbb5

Donkey had materialized the human livelihood and survival for hundred of years in all kind of transports and even in the food system as some communities used to eat donkey flash. Also, some communities still using donkey milk for the treatment of complicated health ailments.

Donkey is still very important animal, both as a working equid and part and parcel of various cultures in Asia, Africa, South America and others. The hobbyists in the western world are keeping donkeys and praised it as the most obedient and intelligent animal. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-05-08/owners-celebrate-beloved-companions-on-world-donkey-day/100123414

we have a facebook page on world donkey day. https://www.facebook.com/WorldDonkeyDay , Many activities and articles are now circulating on social media about the importance of this beautiful but neglected animal. One of the important is the current blog by Albina on radio Bulgaria https://bnr.bg/en/post/101464002/donkey-stories

My Interest in Donkey and the World Donkey Day Story

While I was walking and working with the camels for my doctoral research in Northeastern Belochistan in Pakistan, I realized that the donkey is an even more important player both as working animal and resilient to the drought and feed/water scarcity. As soon as I completed my Ph.D. task, I took my luggage and started my donkey love exploration. I wrote some general articles, found different types and communities of donkey keepers. Besides the crucial and pivotal role of donkey, very little attention has been given to this poor creature. I communicated with many people at the global level who had an interest in donkeys. I found a kind soul “Peta Jones” from South Africa who is in real love with Donkey. I asked her to support my cause/suggestion for world donkey day. She supported me and suggested May 8 as World Donkey Day, because it is the week after the World Labor Day and the donkey is the most important labor in the world, is it not? https://arkbiodiv.com/2012/05/03/world-donkey-day-may-8/

Donkey is Poor’s people BMW

Donkey is a Unique Biological Machine for Work (BMW), highly adapted, a specialized creature but is still hiding from the eyes of the policy makers and highly neglected at all levels. For more than 6000 years DONKEYShave been carrying and pulling loads, turning wheels and generally laboring away to extend the work of humans. Not only a working equid but equally playing a pivotal role in religious rituals, recreations, heritages and as a companion animal. Donkey kingdom is facing panic problems, ranging from the ill treatment, poor welfare to sick behavior of some societies towards the donkey.

Pakistan is the Second Largest Country with the Donkey Population

The population of asses, also known as donkeys, has increased to 5.5m. The population of asses has also been steady as there were 5.3m of them in 2017-18 and 5.4m in 2018-19. So, Pakistan has almost 5.5 million asses. The donkey is still very useful working animal both in rural and urban areas. There are some donkey fairs/festivals in the country. There is one very famous donkey cart race in Karachi each year, in layari area. The automobile/chiqchi rickshaw and Zaranj have replaced donkey for work to some extent. https://arkbiodiv.com/2012/05/03/donkey-breeds-of-north-eastern-balochistan-pakhtoonkhua-and-southern-afghanistan/

Donkey is very valuable and useful animal throughout the world. Donkey is playing pivotal role in the livelihood earning of the millions of people in Pakistan. In Pakistan, many pastoral communities keep donkey for breeding. They have unique, vigorous and highly adapted donkey breeds like Shingharri and Sperki. In the month of October they bring the donkey for sale to the Mangrota Fair. Shingharri donkey in the photo gets high prices and usually bought by the donkey carters in the cities and towns.https://arkbiodiv.com/2012/05/04/donkey-marketing-in-mangrota-fair-of-pakistan/

Conclusion

Donkey has a wide diversity of genetic treasure. It is still important animal in different parts of the world. Both the atomization and skin trade are the 2 main hazards to the assess genetic resources. The poor donkey has very little attention from their human masters. They are treated very badly and abusively. The time has come to raise voice for this poor creature and spread awareness about the importance of this kind soul. I have initiated the world donkey day, support me in this cause please. http://arkbiodiv.com