Global donkey and mule populations: Figures and trends.
Authors: Norris Stuart L, Little Holly A, Ryding Joseph, Raw Zoe
Journal: PloS one
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Global Donkey and Mule Population Trends (1997–2018) Between 1997 and 2018, global donkey populations expanded at approximately 1% annually whilst mule numbers contracted at roughly 2% per year, representing a continuation of patterns established over the preceding four decades. Norris and colleagues analysed FAO livestock statistics to map these shifts across regions, revealing starkly different demographic trajectories: sub-Saharan Africa experienced the largest absolute increases in donkey holdings, driven primarily by expanding agricultural demand and rural livelihoods, whilst Eastern Europe saw the steepest declines as mechanisation and economic restructuring reduced working equid requirements. These divergent trends reflect complex socio-economic forces that cannot be addressed through blanket welfare interventions, demanding instead that improvement efforts be tailored to the specific drivers operating within each region and country. The authors identify a critical data infrastructure gap: whilst FAO figures remain the most comprehensive global resource for tracking equid populations, reporting from individual countries remains inconsistent and incomplete, undermining efforts to pinpoint emerging welfare threats or design evidence-based support programmes. For equine professionals working in welfare and development contexts, these findings underscore the necessity of understanding local population dynamics before implementing interventions, and the value of supporting improved data collection systems that can inform targeted, contextually appropriate approaches.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Donkey populations are growing globally, particularly in Africa, suggesting increasing reliance on donkeys for work and transport in resource-limited regions
- •Understanding regional population trends and their socio-economic drivers is essential for designing effective, targeted welfare improvement programs
- •Support FAO data collection processes and promote accurate reporting from your country to ensure welfare interventions are evidence-based and appropriately targeted
Key Findings
- •Global donkey populations are increasing at ~1% per annum while mule populations are declining at ~2% per annum from 1997-2018
- •Sub-Saharan Africa shows the largest increases in donkey population; Eastern Europe shows the greatest reduction, driven by different socio-economic factors
- •FAO datasets remain the best available source for spatial-temporal population data but require improved country-level reporting mechanisms