The donkey is a member of the horse family which has been used as a beast of burden and mount for thousands of years. Donkeys are well known for being extremely stubborn, especially when they are asked to do things which are dangerous, but these animals are also very gentle and incredibly surefooted, allowing them to traverse diverse terrain which would be too rough for horses. Donkeys can be found all over the world, and there are a number of breeds including the Mammoth Jack, Spotted Donkey, and Cypriot Donkey. You may also hear a donkey referred to as an “ass,” with most people using the term “ass” for larger donkeys, reserving “donkey” for smaller donkeys.

Archaeological evidence suggests that the modern donkey is probably a domestic version of the African wild ass, Equus asinus, and donkeys are known by the same scientific name to reflect this. The Egyptians may have been the first to make use of the donkey, probably initially as a beast of burden, as numerous paintings and works of Egyptian art suggest, and the animals slowly spread throughout the world from there.

The donkey has several advantages over the horse. These equines are incredibly strong, sometimes able to carry as much as 40% of their body weight. They are also easy keepers, requiring minimal food and capable of digesting almost anything edible. The infamous donkey stubbornness also keeps these animals and their riders out of danger, and donkeys are known for being very patient and trusting with people they know. Historically, many people had donkeys because they could not afford horses, and donkey became known as an animal of the lower classes as a result, with many peasant groups and folk organizations adopting donkeys as their symbols.

In appearance, a donkey looks sort of like a horse, with a few major differences. Once of the most notable differences is the donkey's ears, which are extremely large and rimmed in black. Donkeys also have tails which differ from those of horses, with a small tuft of hair at the end, and their manes are short and upright, like many wild equids. The voice of a donkey, known as its bray, is also quite distinctive and extremely loud.

Many donkey breeds are marked with a dark cross formed by a long dorsal stripe from mane to tail, and a crossbar across their shoulders. In some Christian countries, people say that this cross is a mark of God's favor, acknowledging that a donkey carried the pregnant Mary into Bethlehem. Christ was also known for riding a donkey, probably because He was too poor to own a horse, and some folktales suggest that the donkey acquired its cross by being present at the Crucifixion.

When a stallion is crossed with a jenny, or female donkey, the result is a hinny. When a jack or male donkey is crossed with a mare, the result is a mule. These donkey hybrids combine the best traits of donkeys and horses, and they are popular pack animals in many parts of the world. Depending on where you are, you may also hear small donkeys called “burros,” especially in Latin America and the Southern United States, in a reference to the donkeys brought to the Americas by the Spanish, as burro means “donkey” in Spanish.