More Rare Than Pandas: Poitou Donkeys Are Making a Comeback

One of the world’s rarest equid breeds has good news this summer. Four Poitou (pronouncd “pwa-TOO”) donkey foals were born on a British farm this spring, and they are attracting a crowd of visitors.

The long-haired and large (as tall as 16 hands) French donkeys were down to a population of less than 100 a few years ago but a handful of people around the world are making a strong effort to insure the breed will survive.

The BBC discovered the foals and has created a slide show and link-filled web page about them. You can watch a BBC video clip, too, complete with Poitou sound effects!

You can also visit the web site of Woodside Farm in Hampshire, England where the foals are growing up. The breeding operation is the brainchild of retired veterinarian Annie Pollock.

I have only seen one Poitou in my life and it was an impressive animal. I’ll never forget it. Check them out!