By Chinenye Anuforo
New research presented to African leaders today reveals a severe crisis fueled by the global demand for donkey skins, with 41% of surveyed donkey owners having experienced donkey theft.
The research unveiled at the second Pan-African Donkey Conference (PADCo) in Côte d’Ivoire, links the escalating trade in donkey skins, primarily for the Traditional Chinese Medicine ejiao, to widespread poverty, gender inequality, and emotional trauma in rural communities across Africa.
International animal welfare charity, The Donkey Sanctuary, presented “Stolen Donkeys, Stolen Futures,” a report featuring peer-reviewed research published in the journal Human Animal Interaction. The findings showed that at least 5.9 million donkeys are brutally slaughtered annually for their skins to produce ejiao. This insatiable demand has decimated China’s own donkey population, leading the industry to target countries in Africa, Asia, and South America.
The report is the first to meticulously document the invisible crisis facing African women and children. In one Kenyan community, an alarming 29 out of 30 women (over 90%) had their donkeys stolen. Furthermore, the loss of a donkey often results in an average 73% drop in household income in some areas, pushing families from modest survival into destitution.
Dr. David Obiero, lead author of the research from the Africa Centre for One Health-One Welfare Research, Innovation, and Sustainable Livelihoods at Maasai Mara University, presented the findings at PADCo, hosted by the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). He emphasized the profound bond between women and their donkeys.
“The testimonies of the women interviewed show donkeys are much more than livestock – for many, these intelligent and resilient animals are a lifeline; a co-worker and companion, often regarded as an extension of the family and described by one research participant as her ‘co-wife’,” said Dr. Obiero. “Another ranked her donkey higher than her spouse in terms of the contribution it makes to the family income and household support.”
The report provides strong evidence that the exploitation of Africa’s donkeys is fundamentally eroding progress toward key UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those concerning gender equality and the eradication of poverty.
Anne Odari Onditi, Treasurer of the Association of Donkey Owners in Kenya and author of the report’s foreword, shared the personal toll of this trade: “When donkeys are stolen for the skin trade it brings immense suffering to our communities. A family loses its livelihood, and women are left to carry heavy burdens alone. It is heartbreaking to see how quickly our donkeys are disappearing and how deeply this loss is felt.”
The Donkey Sanctuary’s CEO, Marianne Steele, urged immediate action. “This latest research and the powerful story it tells evidences the devastation caused by the donkey skin trade and its disproportionate impact on women and children. We hope this report will be a call to action for governments in Africa and around the world to take decisive steps to end this human and animal welfare disaster,” she stated.
Jessica Stark, Chair of the International Coalition of Working Equids (ICWE), echoed this sentiment, calling for African leaders to reaffirm commitments made at the AU Summit in February 2024, where all Member States agreed to impose a moratorium on the slaughter of donkeys for their skin and to develop a continent-wide welfare strategy.
“Time is running out for Africa’s donkeys and the women and children who rely on them most,” Stark warned. “This event, co-hosted with AU-IBAR, is a powerful opportunity for Africa’s leaders to reaffirm the landmark commitments they made at the AU Summit in 2024, and to work together on a strategy to protect one of the continent’s most precious resources. We hope all Member States will seize this chance to end this escalating human and animal welfare disaster.”
The “Stolen Donkeys, Stolen Futures” report details specific impacts, including children being denied nutrition and education (disproportionately affecting girls), physical injuries from carrying heavy loads, profound emotional trauma for women, and increased “stolen time” as women spend more hours on tasks previously performed by donkeys, leading to declining living standards and sanitation.
The Donkey Sanctuary is an international animal welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of donkeys and mules worldwide, working with a global network of partners and governments. The ICWE comprises leading working animal NGOs Brooke, The Donkey Sanctuary, SPANA, and World Horse Welfare. AU-IBAR is a specialized agency of the African Union Commission focused on sustainable development of Africa’s animal resources.