Burros do Praia

I have mixed feelings about writing about the Beach Donkeys. On one hand they are affectionate and lovable creatures that are interesting to look at; but, on the other these poor beasts have to endure endless hours of wearing ridiculous costumes while standing still on the very hot beaches.

And, whenever I go out to find more information about donkeys I find stories of their abuse and of rescue agencies who are trying to help these poor animals.

As a wild species they are becoming extinct around the world. Donkeys do run wild in Brazil. There is even a wedding tradition that requires the groom to catch a wild donkey to prove he is a capable husband.

The donkey couple in the gallery are Daniel y Powla, who hail from Canoa Quebrada. They seemed pretty happy and didn’t stay on the beach too long.

With the blue saddle is Bob from Cumbuco. Again, he seemed pretty happy and only took children for a ride.

The zebra is a Tijuana Zebra, which is a donkey that has been painted to look like a zebra.

Inbreeding between donkeys and zebras to produce a Zebroid or Donkra or Zonkey is rare and the resulting animal is hard to find. So, instead, owners will paint their animals to make people think they are different.