African wild ass
African wild ass | |
---|---|
Somali wild ass subspecies (Equus africanus somaliensis) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Perissodactyla |
Family: | Equidae |
Genus: | Equus |
Subgenus: | Asinus |
Species: | E. africanus
|
Binomial name | |
Equus africanus | |
Subspecies | |
Geographic range |
The African wild ass (Equus africanus) or African wild donkey is a wild member of the
Description
The African wild ass is about 1.2 metres (4 ft) tall and weighs approximately 250 kilograms (600 lb).[5] The short, smooth coat is a light grey to fawn colour, fading quickly to white on the undersides and legs. There is a slender, dark dorsal stripe in all subspecies, while in the Nubian wild ass (E. a. africanus), as well as the domestic donkey, there is a stripe across the shoulder.[6] The legs of the Somali wild ass (E. a. somaliensis) are horizontally striped with black, resembling those of a zebra.[5] On the nape of the neck, there is a stiff, upright mane, the hairs of which are tipped with black.[citation needed] The ears are large with black margins. The tail terminates with a black brush. The hooves are slender and approximately of the diameter as the legs.[5]
Evolution
The genus Equus, which includes all extant equines, is believed to have evolved from
Molecular phylogenies indicate the most recent common ancestor of all modern equids (members of the genus Equus) lived ~5.6 (3.9–7.8) mya. Direct paleogenomic sequencing of a 700,000-year-old middle Pleistocene horse metapodial bone from Canada implies a more recent 4.07 Myr before present date for the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) within the range of 4.0 to 4.5 Myr BP.
Taxonomy
Different authors consider the African wild ass and the domesticated donkey one or two species; either view is technically legitimate, though the former is
The species name for the African wild ass is sometimes given as asinus, from the domestic donkey, whose specific name is older and usually would have priority. But this usage is erroneous since the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature has conserved the name Equus africanus in Opinion 2027. This was done to prevent the confusing situation of the phylogenetic ancestor being taxonomically included in its descendant.
Thus, if one species is recognized, the correct scientific name of the donkey is E. africanus asinus.
The first published name for the African wild ass, Asinus africanus, Fitzinger, 1858, is a
Image | Subspecies | Distribution |
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Nubian wild ass Equus africanus africanus (von Heuglin & Fitzinger, 1866)[2] | Nubian Desert of northeastern Sudan, from east of the Nile River to the Red Sea and south to the Atbarah River and northern Eritrea | |
Somali wild ass Equus africanus somaliensis (Noack, 1884)[11][13] | Somalia, Somaliland, Eritrea and Ethiopia | |
†Atlas wild ass Equus africanus atlanticus (P. Thomas, 1884) | Region around the Atlas Mountains, across modern day Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco |
Habitat
African wild asses are well suited to life in a desert or semidesert environment.[5] They have tough digestive systems, which can break down desert vegetation and extract moisture from food efficiently. They can also go without water for a fairly long time. Their large ears give them an excellent sense of hearing and help in cooling.[citation needed] Because of the sparse vegetation in their environment wild asses live somewhat separated from each other (except for mothers and young), unlike the tightly grouped herds of wild horses.[1] They have very loud voices, which can be heard for over 3 km (1.9 mi), which helps them to keep in contact with other asses over the wide spaces of the desert.
Behavior
The African wild ass is primarily active in the cooler hours between late afternoon and early morning, seeking shade and shelter amongst the rocky hills during the day. The Somali wild ass is also very agile and nimble-footed, capable of moving quickly across boulder fields and in the mountains. On the flat, it has been recorded reaching speeds of 70 km/h (43 mph). In keeping with these feats, its soles are particularly hard and its hooves grow very quickly.[14]
Mature males defend large
In the wild, African wild ass breeding occurs during the wet season.[15] The gestation period lasts for 11 to 12 months, and one foal is born during the period from October to February.[15][16] The foal weans for 6 to 8 months after birth, reaching sexual maturity at the age of 2 years.[16] Lifespan is up to 40 years in captivity.[15][16]
Wild asses can run swiftly, almost as fast as a horse. However, unlike most hoofed mammals, their tendency is to not flee right away from a potentially dangerous situation, but to investigate first before deciding what to do. When they need to, they can defend themselves with kicks from both their front and hind legs. Equids were used in ancient Sumer to pull wagons circa 2600 BC, and then chariots on the Standard of Ur, circa 2000 BC. These have been suggested to represent onagers, but are now thought to have been domesticated asses.[17]
Diet
The African wild asses' diet consists of
. Despite being primarily adapted for living in an arid climate, they are dependent on water, and when not receiving the needed moisture from vegetation, they must drink at least once every three days. However, they can survive on a surprisingly small amount of liquid, and have been reported to drink salty or brackish water.Conservation status
Though the species itself is under no threat of extinction, due to abundant domestic stock (
In captivity
There are about 150 individual Somali wild asses living in zoos around the globe, of which 36 were born at Zoo Basel,[18] where this species' breeding program started with Basel's first Somali wild asses in 1970 and the first birth in 1972.[19]
Zoo Basel manages the European studbook for the Somali wild ass and coordinates the
See also
- Endangered species
- Fauna of Africa
- Feral donkeys in Australia
- Asiatic wild ass
References
This article incorporates CC BY-3.0 text from the reference.[11]
- ^ . Retrieved 16 February 2022.
- ^ a b c (in German) Heuglin Th. v & Fitzinger L. J. (1866). "Systematische Übersicht der Säugethiere Nordost-Afrika’s mit Einschluß der arabischen Küste, des rothen Meeres, der Somáli- und der Nilquellen-Länder, südwärts bis zum vierten Grade nördlicher Breite. Von Dr Theodor v. Heuglin. Nach brieflichen Mittheilungen und den Original-Exemplaren des Herrn Verfassers ergänzt und mit Zusätzen versehen von dem w. M. Dr Leopold Joseph Fitzinger". Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Abt. 1. Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Klasse 54: 537–611.
- OCLC 62265494.
- ^ National Geographic. Archived from the originalon 17 August 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
- ^ a b c d Staff. "Somali Wild Ass". About the Animals. St. Louis Zoo. Archived from the original on 1 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
- ^ van Bemmel, A. C. V (1972). "Some remarks on the African wild ass". Zoologische Mededelingen. 47 (21): 261–272.
- ^ Azzaroli, A. (1992). "Ascent and decline of monodactyl equids: a case for prehistoric overkill" (PDF). Ann. Zool. Finnici. 28: 151–163.
- S2CID 4318227.
- PMID 15974804.
- ^ "Explore the Database". www.mammaldiversity.org. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Groves C. P. & Smeenk C. (2007). "The nomenclature of the African wild ass". Zoologische Mededelingen 81(1). HTM Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine, PDF Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ (in German) Heuglin Th. v (1861). "Th. v. Heuglin’s Forschungen über die Fauna des Rothen Meeres und der Somáli-Kuste. Ein systematisches Verzeichniss der Säugethiere und Vögel, welche in diesen Regionen bisher beobachtet worden sind, mit Rücksicht auf ihre geographische Verbreitung in horizontaler und vertikaler Ausdehnung". Mittheilungen aus Justus Perthes' Geographischer Anstalt über Wichtige Neue Erforschungen auf dem Gesammtgebiete der Geographie von Dr A. Petermann ("Petermann’s Geographische Mittheilungen"): 11–32.
- ^ (in German) Noack Th. (1884). "Neues aus der Tierhandlung von Karl Hagenbeck, sowie aus dem Zoologischen Garten in Hamburg". Der Zoologische Garten 25: 100–115.
- ^ ""Somali Wild Ass" in the Animal Encyclopaedia at Marwell". marwell.org.uk.
- ^ a b c "African wild ass". Animal Info.
- ^ a b c Reyes, E. "African wild ass". Ultimate Ungulate.
- ISBN 978-0-674-40646-9.
- ^ "Zoo Basel". Zoobasel.ch. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
- ^ "Zoo Basel". Zoobasel.ch. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
- ^ "Zoo Basel Welcomes a Critically Endangered Somali Wild Ass". ZooBorns.
Notes
- ^ Excludes the domesticated form, which is referenced as Equus asinus and is not subject to the provisions of CITES.
External links
- African Wild Ass at ARKive
- Wild Equids
- Profile at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Species
- African Wild Ass - Equus africanus at the IUCN/SSC Equid Specialist Group
- Equus asinus, in Don E. Wilson & DeeAnn M. Reeder (editors). 2005. Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed), Johns Hopkins University Press, 2,142 pp. .