In early 2020 I first found out about the Balearic donkey breed.
It
was then that I met Giovanni Orlando, a retired Italian Special Forces
Captain, who told me of his long-cherished dream of reintroducing this
large and noble breed to Ibiza. Unlike the small donkey of North African
origin that I had in foster care for a few months, the Balearic donkey
descends from the Somali subspecies Equus asinus somaliensis. It is one
of the largest breeds, with dark fur and a white muzzle and belly.
In
the past, this breed also defined the landscape of Ibiza and
Formentera, but had disappeared here in the meantime and was only
represented in purebred form on Mallorca and Menorca. In order to
preserve this breed and bring it back to the Pityuses, Giovanni founded
the non-profit Associació Pitiüsa Raça Asenca Balear (A.P.R.A.B.) in
2016.
Since
the preservation of variety and species diversity has been very
important to me since childhood and the donkeys can be used wonderfully
in my landscape projects for firefighting and regenerative grazing, I
was immediately enthusiastic. In addition, they are very careful,
especially with children. In donkey therapy, they have a calming effect
on people.
I
immediately offered them to my customers with large forest plots and in
2021 I was able to broker the first 4 purebred Balearic donkeys for
Ibiza. Unfortunately, the first receivers were not interested in the
overall concept and the donkeys were therefore not available for donkey
therapy, environmental education and the cultural goals of the
association.
It
wasn't Giovanni's dream to hide a couple of donkeys on a finca in
Ibiza. They should be part of the landscape and culture of the island
again, help nature and people and benefit from them. But the ice was
finally broken! In the meantime, Giovanni has been able to procure other
specimens that now live in a finca in Forada, where they are in contact
with many children and do their ecologically valuable work. Joint hikes
are organized again and again in the area around San Matteo and Es
Broll, which are open to all interested parties.
Of
course, donkeys also need good keeping conditions. Not everyone who has
a large property and could use their help, at least occasionally, wants
to keep donkeys. I hope there will soon be enough donkeys in the hands
of responsible keepers offering a regenerative grazing service for
firefighting and forest maintenance. It would be the safest basis for
preserving this beautiful breed, it would enrich the landscape of the
Pityuses again and could replace some noisy chainsaws and heavy
equipment in forestry, serving to build soil and fix carbon and thus
combat climate change. Another “nature-based solution” we so badly need!
The
association offers donkey sponsorships and donkey therapy and plans to
purchase a donkey-friendly transporter with donations. For more
information, visit www.asnobalearibiza.org
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