Meet Echo – the singing stripe-legged zonkey from Texas
(Image credit: Zebras R Us)
Meet Echo the zonkey, or zedonk if you prefer.
The weeks-old filly, who is by a Grevy’s zebra stallion and out of a mammoth donkey dam, lives in Texas, US, at Zebras R Us.
Dominique said her zonkeys go to new homes when they are older; owners have to apply and are vetted to ensure the homes are good ones.
“Some people have a horse who’s retired and they want an alternative companion, which they’re good at,” she said, explaining that the zonkeys are not high-maintenance in terms of care, and have good tolerance to cold weather.
Some of the zonkeys are ridden; one Dominique sold is now doing beach rides and “all sorts of stuff”, and Echo, whom she thinks will make about 15hh, should be a good candidate for being ridden.
“She’s going to be a lot of animal!” she said.
“They’re very different to horses; I describe them by saying a horse is like a dog but a zebra or zonkey is like a cat. If you left your horse in without hay or water, he’d still whinny at you the next morning — a zebra or zonkey would never talk to you again!”
The zebras and zonkeys are very intelligent, Dominique said, and can be sassy, and they “bring happiness and joy”.
Echo will keep her striking striped legs, she added, and as she grows, the stripes on her body will become more distinct.
“They’re really fun,” she added. “Echo already comes up to me when I call her name and honks, which we call singing. It’s a noise you can’t describe!”
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