Khaberni - Hussein Abdel-Rahman Abu Saddam, the general captain for the farmers, said that donkeys are an important means of transportation and play a prominent role in maintaining ecological balance. He pointed out that spending time with donkeys has significant therapeutic benefits and contributes to improving mental and physical health.
He explained that a number of Spanish researchers have confirmed that spending some time with donkeys gives people pleasure and grants them tranquility. He added that some doctors and nurses in Spain, during the Corona pandemic, would go to a forest located in the southwest of the country to reduce stress and regain psychological peace through spending time with donkeys, as part of an initiative launched by an organization known as “Happy Donkey Organization”.
Abu Saddam mentioned that the donkey is a peaceful animal known for its intelligence, patience, loyalty, and endurance, and is used in transportation, agriculture, and pulling carts and machinery. It belongs to the horse family, characterized by thick skin and long ears, and has a close association with farmers, often featured in many folk proverbs.
Abdel-Rahman confirmed that the world population has exceeded 8 billion people and continues to increase day by day. Meanwhile, the global donkey population is about 44 million and is gradually decreasing due to farmers' reliance on modern machines and equipment and the gradual phase-out of donkeys, which has led to a decrease in their prices compared to other animals, and a decline in their economic viability. He explained that this has prompted some of the poor in developing countries to slaughter donkeys and sell their skins to countries that use them in manufacturing expensive medical drugs.
