Ponui donkey
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- FAO (2007): not listed[1]
- Rare Breeds Conservation Society: rare[2]
- Ponui Island Donkey
- New Zealand Donkey
 Donkeys on Ponui Island | |
| Conservation status |
|
|---|---|
| Other names |
|
| Country of origin | New Zealand |
| Distribution | New Zealand |
| Standard | Donkey & Mule Society of New Zealand |
| Traits | |
| Height |
|
| Coat | light dun or chocolate, with darker dorsal stripe |
| |
The Ponui or Ponui Island Donkey is a breed and feral population of domestic donkey from Ponui Island, in the Hauraki Gulf off New Zealand. It is the only feral donkey in New Zealand. It may also be called the New Zealand Donkey.[3]: 42
Frederick Chamberlin bought Ponui Island from the New Zealand government in 1854.[4] Donkeys were brought to the island together with other livestock from New South Wales, and a feral population established itself. The Ponui Island Donkey now has formal breed status,[5] and some are distributed in mainland New Zealand.[2] It is registered by the Donkey & Mule Society of New Zealand. The Ponui is listed as 'rare' by the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand;[2] it is not among the New Zealand livestock breeds reported to the DAD-IS database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.[6]
