In Croatia, particularly in its coastal area, donkeys have lived for centuries, helping a man in his fight with rough environment. During a period of adaptation of several centuries and natural selection in certain regions, the populations of exceptional features were profiled. More intensive agrarian production and economic-social movements in rural areas resulted in a significant decrease of the total number of donkeys. The actual facts indicate that in Croatia are about several thousand donkeys, but some types are at the brink of disappearance. The insignificant research interest for donkeys during previous decades resulted in a small number of competent scientific knowledge on populations which lived in Croatia, as well as of the dynamics of changes.
The research includes 270 donkeys in counties of the Croatian coastal area. Heads are described in separate lists, photographed and measured with 11 body measures. The results of the research show the need for division of the donkey population in Croatia into three types: Littoral-Dinaric type, North-Adriatic type and Istrian type. Types are statistically significantly differ in the wither height (96.93; 115.28; 124.07), chest circumference (112.75; 131.80; 144.01), tibia circumference (12.82; 14.85; 16.30), as well as in the majority of other examined body measures. Types are characterised by particular features of the body colour, the size of the body frame and proportions body measures. The same division is supported by the analysis of polymorphic blood proteins and DNA.

phenotype features; Croatia; donkeys; types; body measures

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia