Burdened beast
Down To Earth|December 01, 2022
A fall in demand as a beast of burden, and illegal meat and skin trade have caused a critical decline in donkey numbers
Burdened beast

EVERY EVENING, Mohammad E Iqbal takes his donkey to the Old Delhi railway station to deploy the animal for moving gravel and sand used in railway track repairs. On some days, Iqbal, a resident of Shahdara district in the national capital, takes his donkey to construction sites for similar work.

"I earn 2600 for working six hours at my will, more than what I would earn from a full day of manual labour or any other job," he says, adding that the donkey is not just a stead. His family of five depends on this income for survival.

Like Iqbal, several smallholders and rural communities across India depend on donkeys The animal finds use in places untouched by mechanisation, like brick kilns, where its small size helps it move quickly through narrow entrances.

A 2013 survey by the Indian unit of Brooke, a UK-based international non-profit that works on the use and protection of horses, mules and donkeys, finds that of the total annual income earned by equine owning families working in 50 brick kilns in 10 districts of Uttar Pradesh, 80 per cent came from their animals' transport of bricks. For 47 of the 200 equine owners surveyed, the animals were the only source of income.

Similarly, dairy suppliers in Gujarat use donkeys to carry milk across rough terrain, while potters in Lucknow use them to transport clay. The equine also serves as a draught animal in farms. "Donkeys have a financial impact on households and the economy," says Habibur Rahman, regional representative for South Asia at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi.

RAPID DISAPPEARANCE

Estimating the economic value of donkeys is not as simple as with other livestock animals, as there is a lack of evidence on their socioeconomic and cultural benefits.

Esta historia es de la edición December 01, 2022 de Down To Earth.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición December 01, 2022 de Down To Earth.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE DOWN TO EARTHVer todo
In leading role again
Down To Earth

In leading role again

MOVIES AND WEB SERIES ARE ONCE AGAIN BEING SET IN RUSTIC BACKGROUNDS, INDICATING A RECONNECT BETWEEN CINEMA AND THE COUNTRYSIDE

time-read
5 minutos  |
December 16, 2024
One Nation One Subscription comes at a huge cost
Down To Earth

One Nation One Subscription comes at a huge cost

As top US universities scrap big deals with top scientific publishers, India’s ONOS scheme seems flawed and outdated

time-read
4 minutos  |
December 16, 2024
Return of Rambhog
Down To Earth

Return of Rambhog

Bid to revive and sell the aromatic indigenous paddy variety has led to substantial profits for farmers in Uttar Pradesh's Terai region

time-read
4 minutos  |
December 16, 2024
Scarred by mining
Down To Earth

Scarred by mining

Natural springs of Kashmir drying up due to illegal riverbed mining

time-read
5 minutos  |
December 16, 2024
Human-to-human spread a mutation away
Down To Earth

Human-to-human spread a mutation away

CANADA IN mid-November confirmed its first human case of avian influenza, with a teenager in the British Columbia being hospitalised after contracting the H5N1 virus that causes the disease. The patient developed a severe form of the disease, also called bird flu, and had respiratory issues. There was no known cause of transmission.

time-read
1 min  |
December 16, 2024
True rehabilitation
Down To Earth

True rehabilitation

Residents of Madhya Pradesh's Kakdi village take relocation as an opportunity to undertake afforestation, develop sustainable practices

time-read
2 minutos  |
December 16, 2024
INESCAPABLE THREAT
Down To Earth

INESCAPABLE THREAT

Chemical pollution is the most underrated and underreported risk of the 21st century that threatens all species and regions

time-read
10+ minutos  |
December 16, 2024
THAT NIGHT, 40 YEARS AGO
Down To Earth

THAT NIGHT, 40 YEARS AGO

Bhopal gas disaster is a tragedy that people continue to face

time-read
8 minutos  |
December 16, 2024
A JOKE, INDEED
Down To Earth

A JOKE, INDEED

A CONFERENCE OF IRRESPONSIBLE PARTIES THAT CREATED AN OPTICAL ILLUSION TO THE REALITY OF A NEW CLIMATE

time-read
10+ minutos  |
December 01, 2024
THINGS FALL APART
Down To Earth

THINGS FALL APART

THE WORLD HAS MADE PROGRESS IN MITIGATING EMISSIONS AND ADAPTING TO CLIMATE IMPACTS. BUT THE PROGRESS REMAINS GROSSLY INADEQUATE

time-read
4 minutos  |
December 01, 2024