The donkey, or Equus asinus, has been a foundational partner to human civilization for at least 5,000 years, providing reliable labor in environments too challenging for horses or machinery. These resilient equids have been instrumental in transporting goods, water, and people, supporting the livelihoods of the world’s most vulnerable communities. Historically, the global population was stable or increasing, but this trend is now rapidly reversing due to modern, unsustainable pressures. The donkey’s gentle and hardworking nature, once its greatest asset, has exposed the species to a crisis that threatens its numbers worldwide.
The Current Global Population Estimate
Estimating the precise number of donkeys globally is complex because the vast majority of the population is not formally registered. Authoritative figures generally place the world’s donkey population at approximately 44 to 50 million individuals. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and international welfare groups have historically used figures around 44 million, though the actual number is constantly in flux. Obtaining a precise count is difficult because over 95% of donkeys are located in low- and middle-income countries, often in remote rural areas where official livestock censuses are impractical or incomplete.
These figures, however, mask a severe and accelerating decline across multiple continents. While historical data once showed a slow increase, the current trend is universally downward. Welfare organizations warned that at the slaughter rates seen around 2019, the entire global population could be halved within five years. The true measure of the crisis is not the exact figure, but the speed at which populations are collapsing in regions where donkeys are most numerous.
Geographic Distribution and Primary Uses
The world’s donkey population is heavily concentrated in the global South, particularly across Africa and Asia. Historically, China held one of the largest national herds, but that number has plummeted dramatically. Today, countries like Ethiopia, Pakistan, and Mexico maintain significant populations, with Africa collectively home to a substantial proportion of the world’s donkeys. This concentration reflects their enduring importance as working equids in subsistence economies.
Donkeys are deeply integrated into the economic and social fabric of rural life. Their primary uses include serving as pack animals for transporting agricultural produce to market and carrying water and firewood. In agriculture, they provide draft power for plowing fields and processing crops, making them the most affordable source of power after human labor. For many families, especially those led by women, a donkey represents an irreplaceable asset that sustains their income and reduces the physical burden of daily survival.
Key Threats Contributing to Population Decline
The greatest driver of the catastrophic decline in donkey numbers is the booming international trade in donkey hides. This demand is fueled by the production of ejiao, a traditional Chinese medicine and cosmetic ingredient made by boiling the donkey’s skin to create gelatin. The industry requires an estimated 4.8 to 6 million donkey hides annually. Because the donkey’s reproductive cycle is slow, this level of extraction is biologically unsustainable, far outstripping the natural birth rate.
The resulting scarcity has led to a global sourcing crisis, causing the trade to expand into Africa, South America, and Asia. This demand has triggered widespread donkey theft from rural communities, often involving brutal, unregulated slaughter practices. In China, the domestic donkey population declined by over 75% in two decades, forcing the industry to look abroad. This international trade decimates the animal population and severely impacts the human communities that rely on donkeys for their economic survival.
Conservation Efforts and the Donkey’s Future
In response to the crisis, international welfare organizations and local governments are enacting measures to protect donkey populations. The International Coalition for Working Equids (ICWE) is focused on disrupting the illicit trade and raising global awareness. These organizations also provide direct support to donkey owners with veterinary care and education to improve local welfare standards.
The primary policy action came from the African Union (AU), which voted in February 2024 to adopt a continent-wide moratorium on the donkey skin trade. This move, following bans in several African nations, is intended to halt unsustainable slaughter and allow populations to recover. Additionally, efforts are exploring sustainable alternatives for ejiao production, such as cellular agriculture, to eliminate the demand for donkey hides entirely. The future of the species hinges on the successful enforcement of these bans and the long-term shift away from products that rely on the unsustainable exploitation of this historically important animal.