Learn about the critically endangered African wild ass
The first 2020 ‘animal of the month’
African wild asses are critically endangered and fewer than 600 individuals are thought to survive in the wild. The major threat to the African wild ass is being hunted by humans for food and medicinal purposes. Competition with livestock is also a major problem, as it can result in limited access to drinking water and food, with reproductive females and foals less than three-months old being most at risk.
In both Eritrea and Ethiopia (areas in which the African wild ass live), research and conservation programs have been critical for sustaining African wild ass populations by involving local sheep and cattle farmers in their conservation.