Cyprus-Forum.com

[Oracle]

The larger than average size of the typical Cypriot donkey is quite interesting because the natural tendency for Island animals is to miniaturise. So the Cypriots of years gone by must have been actively breeding them for increased size.

The Sardinian donkeys are quite small and it has started a trend in the States for breeding even smaller donkeys which are kept and trained much like dogs, as pets and companions (they live longer than dogs).

[BirKibrisli]

Hi...We have 3 donkeys. 2 came from the sanctuary at Vouni and the 3rd, Madam, we rescued from a less than happy home in the Larnaca area.

As for mules...been a few years since we saw one. Generally speaking Cyprus donkeys are much larger than those found in the UK. Many visitors to the island think they are seeing lots of mules here but in fact they are seeing large donkeys. Madam is the largest of the three and is often mistaken for a mule.

Are they just pets,connor??? Or do they have some other purpose???

I used to love riding donkeys bareback when I was a child in the Paphos area...I remember once being a bit too rough with the prodding-stick...The donkey took off like a bullet (slight exaggeration here) and I soon found myself on my arse in the dusty street...I couldnt sit down for days,and never took the stick to him again...

[connor]

Birkibrisli...They are pets.

Your "Taking off like a bullet story" reminds me of the following. A few years ago, before I made metal fencing for their paddock area, two of them got out. My son and myself set out to catch 'em. He was on a scrambler type motor bike and I was in a Land Rover. Well they had the devil in them that day cos every time we got near em they took off...I never knew donkeys could run so fast. They outran my son on his motorcycle...! I do not exagerate..they flew. Eventually we collared em and towed em back home with the Land Rover. It was summer time..July or August..it was very hot and those donkeys got called some names...!

Dirty Girty was our nick name for a female donkey who used to live in the next village. She took a fancy to Kirk, our young male donkey. When she came into season she would rip her chains stake out of the ground and drag it for miles to come and see Kirk. Her owner once chained her to a very large tree trunk hoping to put paid to her amorous excursions. Well it did not work....we found her outside the paddock leaning on the fence making eyes at Kirk...in tow was the heavy chain and a very large tree trunk...and two pointer dogs who'd been tethered to the trunk. She was a big girl and very very strong. God help Kirk if she'd managed to get hold of him...!