Georgia Welcomes A Zedonk (Part Zebra, Part Donkey)

What happens when you cross a Donkey with a Zebra - You get a Zedonk or Zonkey of course! This rare combination happens rather infrequently, which is why the birth of this little foal at Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Dahlonega, Georgia is causing so much excitement.

Born a week ago, to a Zebra father and Donkey mother, the yet-to-be named baby has his mother's brown body and his father's distinct strips on her legs and face. According to his owner, his mannerisms mimic that of a Zebra.

This is the second known case of a Zedonk in recent years. In 2008, a foal named Zigzag was born at a private reserve in Vadosta,Georgia.

There are currently only a handful of such creatures living in the world, all born in the wild. This rather unusual animal cannot be bred because they it is sterile, which means it cannot have babies.

The closest natural creation to a Zedonk is the Quagga, an extinct subspecies of Zebra that roamed the plains of South Africa, more than 120 years ago. The animals had vivid zebra stripes on the front of their body and plain brown backs.

The new Georgia baby will be kept separate for a few weeks, until he is strong enough to join the rest of the herd - we wonder who he will hang with - Zebras or Donkeys - Any guesses?

sources:zootoo.com, news.yahoo.com