Curious and Playful.. Meet the First Wild Donkey Born in Saudi Arabia in Over 100 Years

The leader of the animal care team at the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, Nasser Ashour, described the rare Asian wild donkey foal that was announced to have been born in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on June 1st. Ashour stated in an interview with Afaq News in Arabic that this birth "represents an important stage in the conservation of a rare and valuable species, especially since this is the first Asian wild donkey (onager) born and raised in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in over 100 years.",

The reserve had clarified when announcing the news that the male foal was born in June 2025, but the birth was only revealed recently after it successfully passed its first 12 months of life, as the first year of a wild donkey's life is the most critical, given that the survival rate does not exceed 50%. Ashour explained that the young foal is in excellent health and shows clear activity, noting that it is adapting well to its surroundings.

Moreover, he confirmed that monitoring its growth and development day by day has been a unique experience for him personally, pointing out some funny and notable moments he witnessed while observing. He said: "One of the most unforgettable sights is seeing it closely follow its mother and try to imitate her movements, for example, accompanying her around the pen, observing how she moves, and learning from her daily routine how to eat, rest, and enjoy alertness."

He added that the bond between him and its mother is "very strong," as it stays close to her most of the time, which is crucial at this early stage of its life, even though it no longer relies on nursing from her (the foal reached weaning at about 8 months old). Nevertheless, the team has begun to notice signs of increased self-confidence, as it has started to explore the surrounding area more independently.

Ashour pointed out that they look forward to gaining more of its natural behaviors, such as eating alone away from its mother, as well as interacting and playing with the herd even when its mother is at a distance from it.