Zebra Gives Birth to a Zonkey in Kenya After Mating with Donkey

A zebra at the Chyulu Hills National Park in Kenya has given birth to a peculiar-looking foal after she reportedly mated with a donkey.

Although the foal has stripes, they are not dark and barely cover her body.

Caregivers at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust established that the foal is not a zebra but a zonkey, a zebra-donkey hybrid, CNN reports.

“Working with wildlife, one learns to expect the unexpected. Even the most seemingly straightforward story can eventually reveal its true stripes and end up surprising us all,” the animal rescue organization said.

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust said the zebra sneaked out of Tsavo East National Park and into a community where she became part of a local cattle herd.

It is here where she is believed to have mated with a donkey before the group moved her to the Chyulu National Park. Sheldrick said the zebra had “obviously become acquainted with an amorous donkey.” 

“The zonkey combines the sturdy body of its donkey sire and the striped legs of its zebra mother, which makes for a striking creature. While it should otherwise lead a normal life, zonkeys are mules, meaning that it will be unable to successfully breed once it reaches maturity,” the group said.

“The zebra and her baby zonkey are thriving in their new habitat, which isn’t swarmed with predators and has enough food and water to keep them happy,” CNN says.