How Long Do Donkeys Live? Donkey Lifespan and Oldest Donkeys

Donkey lifespan at a glance

How long a donkey lives depends far more on how it lives than on its genes. The same animal could reach its mid-30s on a quiet farm in Europe or North America, or die in its teens pulling heavy carts in a hot city with little feed.

Animal Diversity Web, which draws on the AnAge longevity database, gives a maximum lifespan of about 47–50 years for domestic donkeys in captivity. These are exceptional individuals. A donkey in its 30s is already elderly, in the same way that a person in their 80s is.

Why do donkeys live so long?

Several features help donkeys reach a great age. They come from a desert ancestor, the African wild ass, which had to survive long dry spells on poor plants. Donkeys digest fibrous food efficiently, cope well with heat and can survive considerable dehydration and then drink back the lost water quickly.

Size also matters. Across many domestic animals, smaller types tend to outlive larger ones, and donkeys are smaller and lighter than most horses. Donkeys also grow and mature slowly: they are not fully grown until about four to five years old, and jennies are pregnant for around 12 months, much like slow-breeding, long-lived wild mammals.

Finally, donkeys are calm and cautious. A donkey is less likely than a horse to bolt in panic, which may reduce some injuries, though there is little hard data on this.

Working donkeys vs companion donkeys

The biggest difference in lifespan is between donkeys that work hard every day and those that do not. Of the roughly 50 million donkeys in the world, the great majority live in Africa, Asia and Latin America, where many carry water, firewood, building materials and goods for long hours.

Welfare organizations report that many of these working animals are underfed and overworked. Poorly fitting harnesses, overloaded carts, heat, lack of shade and water, worn teeth, hoof problems and parasites all shorten their lives. In those conditions a life expectancy of 12–15 years is common.

By contrast, donkeys kept as companions, for breeding or in sanctuaries in Europe and North America usually do little or no heavy work and have regular access to food, water and shelter. Many of them pass 30, and sanctuaries regularly care for donkeys in their late 30s and 40s.

Do donkeys live longer than horses and mules?

Donkeys generally outlive horses. Most horses live about 25–30 years, with ponies often living longer than big draft or racing breeds. Our article on the horse has more on horse lifespan. A donkey of 30 is old, but not unusually so.

Mules, the hybrids of a donkey father and a horse mother, are also known for living long and staying useful into old age. Mule owners and historians often credit them with a working life longer than a horse’s, and 30–40 years is commonly quoted for well-kept mules. The donkey vs mule comparison explains how the two animals differ.

Life stages of a donkey

A donkey’s life can be divided into rough stages:

• Foal (birth to weaning): the foal weighs about 20–34 kg (44–75 lb) at birth and stands within an hour. It is usually weaned at around six to eight months.
• Youngster (1–4 years): the donkey keeps growing and filling out. Jennies may become fertile in their second or third year, though breeders often wait longer.
• Adult (about 5–20 years): the prime of life, when donkeys are strongest and most able to work.
• Older donkey (about 20 years and up): graying around the eyes and muzzle, a dipping back, worn teeth and slower movement become common.
• Geriatric (about 30 years and up): many donkeys in this age group stay active and sociable, but they become more vulnerable to cold, weight loss and illness.

What limits a donkey’s lifespan?

Teeth are one of the main limits to a grazing animal’s life. Donkeys chew tough, fibrous plants all day, and their teeth slowly wear down. When the grinding surfaces are worn away, an old animal struggles to get enough nutrition from rough forage. In the wild, this is often what ends the life of old equids.

Other common factors are hoof problems, which are frequent in donkeys living on soft, wet ground far from their dry native habitat, and weight gain on rich pasture in temperate countries. Donkeys also hide pain and illness well. As prey animals, they evolved to look calm even when unwell, which can delay owners from noticing problems.

Companionship matters too. Donkeys form strong bonds with a companion, and welfare organizations note that the loss of a bonded partner can cause serious stress.

How long do wild and feral donkeys live?

Reliable figures for animals living without human care are scarce. For the African wild ass, the donkey’s Critically Endangered ancestor in Eritrea and Ethiopia, an estimated lifespan of around 20 years in the wild is often quoted. The captive maximum for the wild ass is about 29 years, much shorter than the domestic donkey’s record, though far fewer wild asses have ever been kept.

Feral burros in the deserts of the US Southwest and feral donkeys in Australia face drought, predators such as mountain lions in parts of the American West, and periodic shortages of food and water. Few of them are likely to reach the ages common in sanctuaries.

The oldest donkeys

Stories of donkeys living past 50 or even 60 appear in newspapers now and then. Most of these claims rest on an owner’s memory rather than birth records, so they are hard to verify. The best-documented maximum ages for domestic donkeys are around 47–50 years.

Even without exact records, it is clear that a donkey bought as a young animal may share 30 or more years with its owners, which is why welfare charities stress that taking on a donkey is a very long commitment.