Balearic donkey Balearic donkey The Balearic donkey, , , is a breed of domestic donkey indigenous to the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands, in the Mediterranean off the eastern coast of Spain. Although found mainly in Mallorca, the largest island of the group, it is found also in Menorca, where it was much used for mule-breeding; it is no longer present in the islands of Eivissa and Formentera. It is officially called the ; until 2006 the breed was known as the , and was also referred to as the Ase MallorquÍ, Asno Mallorquín or Mallorquin donkey. The Balearic donkey shares
Balearic Islands Phoenician origin; perhaps the islands were sacred to the god Baal and the resemblance to the Greek root ΒΑΛ (in /"ballo") is accidental. Indeed, it was usual Greek practice to assimilate local names into their own language. But the common Greek name of the islands is not /"Baleareis", but /"Gymnesiai". The former was the name used by the natives, as well as by the Carthaginians and Romans, while the latter probably derives from the light equipment of the Balearic troops /"gymnetae". The Balearic Islands are on a raised platform called the Balearic Promontory, and were formed by uplift. They are