Âne Corse

This donkey lives on a French island.

It is a small animal. Most of them are grey. They may have lived there since old times.

People tried to make them larger. They mixed them with other donkeys. This made some black donkeys.

There are not many left now. Their numbers fell a lot. Groups now work to help them.

They are an endangered breed. We must protect them. It is good to learn about them.

The Âne Corse is a donkey from Corsica. Corsica is a French island. These donkeys are small. They usually have grey hair. They may have lived there since Roman times.

People tried to make them bigger. They mixed them with other donkeys. They used donkeys from Spain and Italy. This made a larger black type. These black donkeys are taller.

There are not many left today. Their numbers fell a lot. In the past, people sold them for meat. Now, groups work to save them. Two groups help protect the breed. One group is called A Runcata. That name means "the bray." Another group is Isul'âne.

This donkey is an endangered breed. That means there are very few left. In 2024, there were only 500 donkeys. This group had 50 breeding jennies. Jennies are female donkeys. It also had 10 jacks. Jacks are male donkeys. We must help keep them safe.

The Âne Corse is a special donkey. It comes from Corsica. This is a French island in the Mediterranean. These donkeys are very important to their home. They are now a rare breed. This means there are not many left. We must learn about them to help them.

Most of these donkeys are small. They usually have grey hair. They stand about 110 centimeters tall. Some people tried to make them larger. They did this by cross-breeding. They mixed them with donkeys from Spain. They also used donkeys from Italy. This created a larger black type. These black donkeys stand 120 centimeters tall.

These animals have a long history. They may have lived on the island since Roman times. Before the 1930s, there were many donkeys. People used them for transport and farming. Later, the numbers began to fall. Until the 1960s, many were sold for meat. This happened in Italy and mainland France. People in Corsica do not usually eat donkey meat.

Two groups work hard to protect them. One group is named A Runcata. This name means "the bray." The other group is called Isul'âne. They started seeking official help in 2010. The breed was finally recognized in 2020. A stud-book was also made that year. In 2024, the total population was 500. This included 50 breeding jennies. It also included 10 jacks.

Today, the Âne Corse is at risk. The SAVE Foundation called them "critical" in 2008. In 2025, DAD-IS also listed them as at risk. This is a hard job for the groups. They want to keep the breed safe. It is like saving a rare treasure. We can learn from how they are helped.

The Âne Corse is a specific breed of domestic donkey. It comes from Corsica. Corsica is a French island located in the Mediterranean Sea. This animal is a unique part of the island's natural history. However, the breed currently faces a very serious threat. Its numbers have fallen in an alarming way over time. It is now considered an endangered breed. This means there are very few of them left in the world.

Historically, these donkeys have a very long presence on the island. Experts believe they may have lived in Corsica since Roman times. Before the 1930s, the island had more than 10,000 donkeys. They were vital for local life. People used them for transport and for agricultural work. This was before machines took over most of those jobs. They were a core part of the island's working system.

There are two main types of the Âne Corse based on their size and color. The indigenous donkey is quite small. It usually stands about 110 centimeters at the withers. The withers are the highest part of a donkey's back. These original donkeys are usually grey in color. Some people tried to change this through cross-breeding. They mixed the local donkeys with imported stock. They used the Catalan breed from Spain. They also used donkeys from mainland France. They even used the Martina Franca breed from Puglia, Italy. This process created a larger black type of donkey. This black version stands about 120 centimeters tall.

Many factors caused the population to drop so quickly. Until the 1960s, many donkeys were sold at very low prices. They were sent to meat markets in Italy and mainland France. Interestingly, there is no tradition of eating donkey meat in Corsica. The recent sale of donkey salami in local shops comes from tourist demand. This shift in how the animals were used contributed to their decline. The loss of their traditional roles made them much less common.

Efforts to save the breed began in earnest around 2010. Two different associations were formed to protect them. One group is called A Runcata, which means "the bray." The other group is named Isul'âne. These groups sought official recognition for the breed. This work was successful in 2020. In that same year, a stud-book was established. A stud-book is a record used to track the ancestry of animals. This helps breeders manage the population carefully.

We can look at specific numbers to see how rare they are. In 2024, the total population was estimated at only 500 animals. This small group included 50 breeding jennies. A jenny is a female donkey. It also included 10 jacks. A jack is a male donkey. These numbers show how close the breed is to disappearing. The population is very small and needs careful management.

Conservation groups have used different terms to describe the danger. In 2008, the SAVE Foundation listed the breed as "critical." In 2025, the DAD-IS listed them as "at risk/critical." These labels show the urgency of the situation. The Âne Corse is part of a larger group of endangered animals. It is one of seven donkey breeds in France that are at risk. Protecting them helps preserve the biological history of the Mediterranean.