On Thursday, a calf of the critically endangered African Wild Ass was introduced to the Chilean public, just 17 days after its birth.
African Wild Asses are classified as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), emphasizing the urgent need for conservation efforts.
The recent calf was born at Buin Zoo in Chile as part of an international program aimed at preventing the extinction of this African species.
Named Juniana, the new addition to the family is seen as a significant contribution to a species that has faced severe population decline. Juniana will soon join a family in Mexico, where the opportunity for multiplying this remarkable but dwindling wild species exists.
While African Wild Asses bear a resemblance to donkeys in terms of body structure, they possess distinct white and striped legs similar to those of a zebra, despite not being a hybrid between the two species.
Estimates suggest that there are currently between 23 and 200 adult African Wild Ass specimens remaining in the wild, underscoring the critical state of their population.