Donkey Donkey The donkey or ass ("Equus africanus asinus") is a domesticated member of the horse family, Equidae. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African wild ass, "E. africanus". The donkey has been used as a working animal for at least 5000 years. There are more than 40 million donkeys in the world, mostly in underdeveloped countries, where they are used principally as draught or pack animals. Working donkeys are often associated with those living at or below subsistence levels. Small numbers of donkeys are kept for breeding or as pets in developed countries. A male donkey or ass
Equus lambei of the modern wild horse, including the domestic horse, "Equus caballus". Controversy still surrounds "E. lambei" and the divergence of other similar extinct horse species. Through examinations of the bones and teeth of "Equus lambei", many similarities can be seen with the modern horse "Equus caballus". There is also a strong resemblance to "E. lambei" in the metapodials of "E. caballus przewalskii" and the phalanges of "E. caballus lenensis" "." Metrical and morphological studies of horse teeth from the Bluefish Caves confirm the close similarity between "Equus lambei" with wild and domestic horses alive today. "E. lambei" is a "caballus"