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Mammals of Zihuatanejo

CLASS MAMMALIA

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Mammals (Class Mammalia)

-Therians (Subclass Theria)

-Placental Mammals (Infraclass Placentalia)

-Ungulates, Carnivorans, and Allies (Superorder Laurasiatheria)

-Odd-toed Ungulates (Order Perissodactyla)

-Equines (Family Equidae)

-Equines (Genus Equus)

-Donkey (Equus asinus)


Burros, originally from Africa, were introduced into Mexico by the Spaniards conquistadors in the 1500s. They have since flourished and became a symbol of rural life renown for their ability to carry large loads over Mexico's difficult terrain. The name "burro" comes from the Spainsh word "borrico" meaning donkey.

Burro

Equus asinus

Diet

  • Herbivorous, feeding primarily on grasses, herbs, leaves, shrubs, bark, and other fibrous vegetation.

  • Readily consumes coarse, dry forage that many other grazing animals avoid.

  • Can survive on sparse vegetation and requires relatively little water compared with horses, making it well adapted to arid environments.

Range

  • Domesticated and found worldwide.

  • Common throughout Mexico, including the Zihuatanejo region, where donkeys are used as working animals in rural communities and are also kept on farms and ranches.

  • Feral populations occur in some regions where domestic animals have escaped or been released.

Habitat

  • Occupies a wide variety of habitats, including grasslands, deserts, tropical dry forests, agricultural land, ranches, villages, and mountainous regions.

  • Thrives in dry, rugged terrain where its sure-footedness allows it to travel over steep, rocky landscapes.

  • Always associated with human settlements or areas where feral populations have become established.

Size

  • Shoulder height: 90–160 cm (35–63 in), depending on the breed.

  • Body length: 2.0–2.5 m (6.6–8.2 ft)

  • Weight: 180–480 kg (400–1,060 lb)

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