Our Animal Fact Files focus on one animal that you can find in the New Forest and each blog will share lots of interesting facts about our animals, so everyone can learn and understand more about the wonderful wildlife in our beautiful National Park…
Top facts about Donkeys in the New Forest:
- There are only around 200 donkeys in the New Forest.
- All of the donkeys are owned by the Commoners of the New Forest, who have the rights to let their animals graze the open forest.
- Unlike the stallions, male donkeys (known as a ‘Jack’) are allowed to stay in the forest all year round – they will only be removed if they’re badly behaved!
- There isn’t a particular breed of New Forest donkey, as they are not native to the UK and were brough over by the Romans.
- The donkeys prefer to be around trees, hedges and bushes and you are unlikely to spot them on the large grassy heathlands.
- They can often be seen down the roads in local towns and villages.
- Although you are not allowed to touch or pet the wild donkeys in the New Forest, you are able to go on a walk in the forest with some friendly donkeys with Brockenhurst Donkey Walks!
Image - Brockenhurst Donkey Walks
Please always follow the New Forest Code in the New Forest. Do not touch the donkeys, or other animals. Do not feed the donkeys, or other animals, they have plenty of natural food from the New Forest and human food is harmful to them. Drive carefully, please note that donkeys have little to no road sense and often walk into the middle of the roads or stand on the verge of roads. See the full New Forest Code below: