Is a Zonkey an actual breed of animal?

[Throwback]

We have a zoo here that features a Zonkey. What I'm wondering is, did a Donkey and a zebra simply get busy at the zoo? Or is the Zonkey an actual breed that roams the wild somewhere?

Here's a pic.

[Red Impact]

IT's a hybrid like a liger is. They're two similar species, but produce sterile offspring. So you won't see any running in the wild, unless someone bred a bunch and released them.

[mizerable]

If it's sterile, then no. A species that cannot support itself is not a species.

[SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman]

Jun 5, 2013 12:10:40 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

IT's a hybrid like a liger is. They're two similar species, but produce sterile offspring. So you won't see any running in the wild, unless someone bred a bunch and released them.

Life will, ah, find a way.

[mcmahonfan85]

Jun 5, 2013 12:34:02 GMT -5 SsnakeBite, the No1 Frenchman said:

Jun 5, 2013 12:10:40 GMT -5 Red Impact said:

IT's a hybrid like a liger is. They're two similar species, but produce sterile offspring. So you won't see any running in the wild, unless someone bred a bunch and released them.

Life will, ah, find a way.

You're saying two species of animals who only got together because they had a little too much to drink and their handlers showed them animal porn will start boning on their own in the wild?

[Toxik916]

Sweet just came up with a new crazy sex act!

The zonkey punch: The act of performing a vicious donkey punch while chewing fruit stripe gum.

[Mozenrath]

I don't know about this specific instance, but hybrids do sometimes have virile young. I think zebras and donkeys have different chromosome numbers, so they might not.

[A Platypus Rave]

I thought it was called a zedonk. Or is this a liger/tigon situation where the sex of the animals matter

(male lion female tiger = liger, male tiger female lion = tigon. Or the other way round I forget.)

[Throwback]

Jun 5, 2013 15:07:47 GMT -5 A Platypus Rave said:

I thought it was called a zedonk. Or is this a liger/tigon situation where the sex of the animals matter

(male lion female tiger = liger, male tiger female lion = tigon. Or the other way round I forget.)

I think it's a region thing.

[Goldenbane]

Whew, zebra and donkey hybrid, ok. For a moment there, I was scared this thread was going to refer to a zebra and monkey hybrid.

[Glitch]

Jun 5, 2013 16:13:24 GMT -5 Goldenbane said:

Whew, zebra and donkey hybrid, ok. For a moment there, I was scared this thread was going to refer to a zebra and monkey hybrid.

Oh god, I really hope the male in that pairing was the monkey.

[A Platypus Rave]

Looking it up Zebras and Donkeys do occasionally mate in the wild (like in South Africa where the two can cohabitate)... though Zedonks are usually sterile but occasional one can procreate successfully.

[MiLB Fan]

Apparently the correct term is "zebroid."


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebroid


(Funny side note: my computer's auto-correct kept changing "zebroid" to "zeroed."

[A Platypus Rave]

Jun 5, 2013 18:34:46 GMT -5 MiLB Fan said:

Apparently the correct term is "zebroid."


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebroid


(Funny side note: my computer's auto-correct kept changing "zebroid" to "zeroed."

That's the general term for all Zebra hybrids.

It says further down A zonkey is a cross between a zebra and a donkey. "Zonkey" is not the technically correct name for such a cross. The most commonly accepted terms are zebonkey (or zebronkey), zebrinny, zebrula, zebrass, and zedonk (or zeedonk)

[Non Banjoble Tokens]

Jun 5, 2013 18:34:46 GMT -5 MiLB Fan said:

Apparently the correct term is "zebroid."


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebroid


(Funny side note: my computer's auto-correct kept changing "zebroid" to "zeroed."

I like this pic. It looks like a horse that's wearing a zebra mask. Like, "Yep, just a zebra. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Just hanging with my zebra pals."

[mizerable]

Hybrids have always kind of bothered me, ethically. Not that there's really anything wrong with crossbreeding 2 animals, but a lot of times, it's trial and error and you end up with many many failed attempts and animals with birth defects or ones that don't survive very long, like the African elephant/Asian elephant hybrid.

[Throwback]

Jun 5, 2013 21:01:35 GMT -5 mizerable said:

Hybrids have always kind of bothered me, ethically. Not that there's really anything wrong with crossbreeding 2 animals, but a lot of times, it's trial and error and you end up with many many failed attempts and animals with birth defects or ones that don't survive very long, like the African elephant/Asian elephant hybrid.

And sometimes you end up with Cows that will "WRECK YOUR HOUSE"!

[A Platypus Rave]

and sometimes you get killer bees.


But as stated there is nothing unnatural with all forms of animal hybrids as I stated before Zedonks/Zonkeys/whatever... do happen in nature occasionally in areas where both species cohabitat.

[Throwback]

makes me wonder what would happen if a Hippo and a Rhino hooked up.

[Push R Truth]

I catch saugeyes quite commonly and they are a natural fish hybrid.

Mule's are probably the most well known hybrid, female horse and a male donkey (I believe).