European Ass

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European Ass

Conservation status

Extinct

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Perissodactyla
Family:	Equidae
Genus:	Equus
Species:	E. hydruntius

Binomial name

Equus hydruntius

The European Ass, or Encebra (Equus hydruntinus) was once widespread throughout Europe, especially along the Mediterranean, with large populations in Greece, Turkey, Spain, France and Portugal.

Yet it is now extinct. This still bemuses some professionals, but the explanation given by most is that it simply became too domesticated, that it naturally interbred with tame asses and donkeys, and, indeed, horses and ponies.

The wild asses were nearly always grey, sometimes with a darker stripe or stripes down the back of their coats, but crossbreeds were different (neutral) colours, such as white, black, beige, or brown.

The last remaining asses in the wild died out in 15th Century Spain.