Details
Equus africanus
African wild ass is a mammal associated with deserts and grasslands. It is herbivorous and herd-forming. Wild populations are extremely limited and require strict protection and recovery work.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Its range is represented here by the Afrotropics, where it uses deserts and grasslands. Mobile species may shift habitat use with season, breeding sites, or food availability.
Typical length 200-240 cm, weight 230 kg-275 kg. It has a hoofed ungulate body plan, with proportions shaped by its habitat and mode of movement.
It is most active around dawn and dusk and herd-forming. Spacing, group size, and visibility can change with season, feeding conditions, and breeding activity.
It is herbivorous. Food choice and foraging style are tied to life in deserts and grasslands, so movements often follow available food resources.
As a mammal, it gives birth to live young, and the mother nurses them in cover or within the social group.
Recorded scientifically as Equus africanus. Wild populations are extremely limited and require strict protection and recovery work. In this guide, size, habitat, and activity pattern are useful first clues for recognition.
