Putting the spotlight on donkeys

TEXT BY RAY PETERSEN PHOTOS BY LENA PETERSEN Equus Africanus Asinus is how they are known in the zoological world, and from that we can see why they are also sometimes referred to as an Ass. The male is known as a ‘Jack,’ the female as a ‘Jenny,’ and their offspring are foals, and they have been our beasts of burden for over 5,000 years. [gallery link='file' ids='497058,497057,497056'] They are pretty much maligned across the centuries as being slow-witted, slow to move, bad-tempered, and can deliver a decent kick or bite to the unwary. Limited research on donkeys has shown them to be more intelligent than they appear, and certainly intelligent enough to understand that their innate stubbornness is a genuine weapon of salvation against us humans, who are always in a hurry. To those with time, however, and a caring nature, they are erstwhile companions. Readers of ‘Winnie the Pooh’ will recollect ‘Eeyore,’ the depressed donkey that was shaped by their less than affectionate behaviour and characterising many of us childish view of the donkey. Homer and Aesop glorified the donkey in early literature, and of course, they feature prominently in the Bible. Shakespeare used the donkey (ass) as a metaphor for ‘Bottom’s’ appearance in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ and Cervantes featured it as Sancho Panza’s trusty steed. George Orwell and CS Lewis too have immortalised our sure-footed friends, and the most recent donkey-star of the screen is surely, the Eddie Murphy-voiced, ‘Donkey, in ‘Shrek.’ Oman’s donkeys are not stars of the silver screen, history, or literature, but they are pretty much ubiquitous, and here are some nice studies from our travels around the Sultanate in recent years, as they contribute in the sectors of wildlife, agriculture and tourism. The humble donkey, a stalwart in Oman, and around the world. After all, we think there are a fair few here, 40,000 at last count, but there are thought to be a staggering forty million around the world. That’s incredible! And so is the humble, ever so hard-working, much-maligned donkey.