The donkey population is fast depleting in India and Africa owing to illegal slaughter, Brooke India’s senior programme leader Priya Pandey said at a seminar organised by the Animal Husbandry Department of Andhra Pradesh at the Reddipalli Training Centre.
Brooke is non-profit organisation that works on the use and protection of horses, mules and donkeys.
The donkey population in India has come down by 53% in over a decade. The dependency on donkeys has come down by 61% for any kind of work, thus making them easy prey for slaughter. They are slaughtered for their skin and meat, which are in high demand for use in traditional medicines in China,” said Mr. Pandey.
Referring to a report published by the BBC, she said the donkey population in China had come down from 11 million in 1990 to 3 million in 2022. China has started importing donkey skin from India and Africa. Gelatin is produced from the skin of donkeys, she said.
Donkey milk is consumed in small quantities in Andhra Pradesh with a belief that it cures asthma and some neurological ailments, said Sarita Negi, a representative of Brook. There is, however, no scientific evidence to support it. that, she said.
Citing that Andhra Pradesh has also seen a decline in donkey population, Brooke’s representatives appealed to the Animal Husbandry Department officials to frame a policy paper and submit it to the State government to ensure protection of the animals.
Kurnool, Guntur and Anantapur were once known for their donkey population, but their numbers had come down drastically now, said District Animal Husbandry Officer Y. Subramanyam.
Animal Husbandry Assistant Director A.V. Ratnam Kumar also spoke on the occasion.
Donkey rearers, owners and farm owners attended the seminar. They sought help from the government to make rearing of donkeys a profitable venture.
