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
Australopithecus africanus and STS 71), but also presents primitive features including ape-like, curved fingers adapted to tree climbing. Instead of it being a direct ancestor of later hominins and thereby of humans, some researchers believe that "A. africanus" evolved into "Paranthropus", and specifically that "P. robustus" descended from "A. africanus". Both "P. robustus" and "A. africanus" crania seem very alike despite the more heavily built (robust) features of "P. robustus", which, like those of the modern gorilla, are adaptations for heavy chewing. "A. africanus", on the other hand, had a cranium which quite closely resembled that of a modern chimpanzee; yet both