Curious and Playful.. Meet the First Wild Donkey Born in Saudi Arabia in Over 100 Years

The leader of the animal care team at the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, Nasser Ashour, described the birth of the rare Asian wild donkey, which was announced to have been born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on June 1st. Ashour said in an interview with Afaq News in Arabic that this birth "represents an important stage in the conservation of a rare and valuable species, especially since this is the first Asian wild donkey (onager) to be born and raised in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in over 100 years."

The reserve had clarified when announcing the news that the male foal was born in June 2025, but the birth was only revealed recently after he successfully passed the first 12 months of his life, as the first year of a wild donkey's life is the most critical, given that the survival rate does not exceed 50%. Ashour explained that the young foal is in excellent health and shows clear activity, noting that he is adapting well to his surroundings.

He also confirmed that following its growth and development day by day has been a unique experience for him personally, pointing to some of the amusing and notable moments he witnessed while observing. He said: "One of the most unforgettable sights was seeing it closely follow its mother and try to mimic her movements, for example, accompanying her around the enclosure, observing how she moves, and learning from her daily routine how to eat, rest, and enjoy being alert."

He added that the bond between him and his mother is "very strong," as he stays close to her most of the time, which is very important at this early stage of his life, even though he no longer relies on breastfeeding (he reached the weaning stage at around 8 months old). Nevertheless, the team has begun to notice signs of increased self-confidence, as he has started to explore the surrounding area more on his own.

Aashour pointed out that they are looking forward to acquiring more of his natural behaviors, such as eating alone away from his mother, as well as interacting and playing with the herd even when his mother is at a distance from him.