The Drabardi Donkey

The Drabardi Donkey Types

Scientific name: Equus africanus asinus drabardi
Lifespan: 25 - 50 years (tame ones usually live longer, oldest in the wild are usually around 30)
Pregnancy: A little over a year

Pesha Height: 80 - 100 cm Weight: 80 kg/180 lb The Pasha is the smallest of the four types. This type of Drabardi donkey have somewhat small heads, sometimes with dished face, widely spaced eyes and small (for being a longear) and alert ears. It has a short, muscular neck; a rather compact, stocky body; short, strong legs; and a shorter-than-normal cannon bone in relation to its size. A short broad back and deep girth are universal characteristics, as is a springy stride. It should not have a 'dwarf' look to it. It have mostly been used in the extraction of minerals from the mines of the Pashian inland, and in all kinds of agricultural work. Its hooves are small and do not damage the terrain as many machines can do. Because of the competitive nature of jacks and the small areas of farmable land, Pashian farmers therefor often prefer to keep jennies; and the meat of jack foals are seen as a traditional local delicacy.

Kalpana Height: 110-115 cm Weight: around 280 kg Of all the breeds the Kalpana have some defined features that seem to have developed for it to be able to handle the heat and other things in the desert a little bit better than the other types. They have a broad forehead, with small skightly projecting eyes. The eyes are protected from the sand by long eyelashes and ear hairs, together with nostrils that can close, forming a barrier against sand. This type of Drabardi have large and strong legs, a rather heavy neck, modest withers, long back, and a somewhat powerful chest. It is mostly suitable as a pack animal, for light driving and for riding (small to mediumsized children). Its character and sure-footedness even on broken ground make it suitable for trekking. It may be used in vegetation management, for brush clearance to reduce fire risk.

Baro Height: 130-145 cm Weight: around 380 kg The head is of medium size, with a straight to slightly convex profile; the neck is muscular. The coat is short and fine, and soft to the touch. The baro is strong and sturdy, yet docile and calm. It is well adapted to the hot and arid conditions of its native environment. Like the barri (below), the baro is used in agricultural work, both as a mount when herding stock (cattle and/or sheep) as well as a pack animal to transport churns of milk when cows were milked by hand in the field, and as well as in harness. Today on the mainland it may also as a competition mount, a pack animal for hiking or trekking, for recreational driving, in therapy for the handicapped, as a companion animal, or 'simply' as a pet.

Barri Height: 150-160 cm Weight: around 480 kg The Barri is the true powerhouse of the four types. It have a large, long head, strong neck, mediumlong back, short croup and round haunches. The limb joints and feet are large, and the legs strong with large joints and loose movement. It is the only one of the types that have been actively bred by humans, using the biggest and muscular individuals of the Baro. A few drops of Kalpana is often seen as a bonus as it make the largest of the types more hardy. This type is the muscle on many Drabardian farms and are highly valued for its strength.