• Donkeys have excellent long-term memory and can recognise places and other animals many years later.
• A domestic ass has five lumbar vertebrae, a horse has six. The body temperature of asses ranges from 37.5 to 38.5 °C.
• The donkey’s normal gait is a pace, which provides stability on uneven ground.

The species has long ears, which aid in hearing and cooling the body; foals possess this feature, as do adults. The young have hard hooves that enable walking on rocky terrain, while adults also have strong legs for long walks carrying heavy loads. Adult asses have a short, erect mane and a tail with a tassel at the end to ward off insects. An adult has four legs, and both the young and the adult possess two ears.