Zeedonk

Colchester Zoo's zeedonk, named Shadow

A zeedonk (also called similar names including zebrass, zebronkey or zenkey) is a mixed breed animal, a cross between a zebra and a donkey. Donkeys are closely related to zebras and belong to the same horse family. Zeedonks are very rare. Colchester Zoo in Essex claims to have produced the first zeedonk in 1971. A zeedonk is still exhibited at Colchester, but they now have a policy of preventing interbreeding and so will not be breeding more.

In South Africa they are called a zonkey and are fairly common where zebras and donkeys are found in close proximity. Like mules, however, they cannot breed, due to an odd number of chromosomes.

See also

• zorse
• mule

External link

• http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/28/1062050609625.html
• Colchester Zoo's page about the zeedonk
• http://www.geocities.com/zedonknzorse/basics.html