Dr. Faith Burden

Really?

Absolutely.

So the donkey is adapted.

Its ancestor is a desert dwelling animal.

So it has lots and lots of adaptations, particularly the ears.

That's what we all notice.

So they help not only to dissipate heat, but they're also fantastic for communication over really large expanses because in the ancestor's natural environment, donkeys don't live in herds.

So

So unlike horses, where we all know that horses like to gather in herds, the donkey's ancestors live either alone or in very, very small groups.

So they need to communicate.

And that's why the donkey's bray is so amazing, travels for kilometers, but the ears are really important too.

How many donkeys are in your care?

So in the donkey sanctuaries care, we have...

6,200 donkeys that are in our ownership.

About 4,000 of those are in our direct care.

And then we've got 2,000 that live out in wonderful guardian homes that look after them in private homes.

So we have thousands of donkeys.

They're all amazing.

And it's such a privilege to work with them and care for them.

So...