What is a Zebrule?

Cross breeding among animals is not uncommon. Like mules. Mule is the name given to animals of a donkey and a horse combination; a cross breed of a female horse (mare) and a male donkey (ass), to be specific. It is important to take note the gender of the animals for it determines what the offspring will turn out to be. On the other hand, when a female donkey and a male horse copulate, the offspring will not anymore be called a mule but a hinny. They are modernly referred to as hybrids.

One type of mule or hybrid that has not yet gained so much popularity, and is in fact still unheard of, is the zebrule. The name could have been a combination of the names zebra and mule. However, the animal of this breed is more commonly known or called zenkey (zebra plus donkey).

Zebrule is the offspring of a male zebra (a stallion) and a female donkey (a jenny or jennet). Zebrules have not grown in number yet. The small percentage of this breed can be found in South Africa. One zebrule was reported to have been born in Barbados, Venezuela, christened Alex. Typically, zebrules can be spotted in areas where donkeys and zebras live at a close distance to each other, which proved to be true, since Alex’s inception was because of a zebra and a donkey’s sharing of one common area for a span of time.

Zebrules are rare. The reason why their population has not increased is the fact that zebrules are (mostly) barren. This is ascribable to their discordant chromosome count, which is only 63. The chromosome result is due to the incompatibility of chromosome counts of the parent stallion and jenny. A zebra has 44 chromosomes while a donkey has 62.

Zebrule is also known by the names zonkey, zeedonk, zenkey and zebronkey. Its physical characteristics and traits are equally taken after both parents. Commonly, the stripes of a zebrule can only be seen on the lower part of the body, typically on the hind part and on the legs. Some zebrules, however, have stripping on their belly part. Some, with almost the entire body covered with stripes.

The prominence of its stripes depends on the zebrule’s color. Naturally, when a zebrule has a dark color, the striping will not profoundly show compared with a light brown colored zebrule. A zebrule’s color takes the color or the regnant color gene of the female donkey or jenny.

Zebrules move faster than a common mule or donkey. They are prey animals, too, like the animals of their same specie. However, zebrules are quick to defend themselves when a predator corners them. Their senses are much stronger and they will scurry for safety when they recognize peril. Just like mules and donkeys, zebrules are clever and can be easily trained.

Zebras, horses and donkeys are all part of the Equidae family (animals belonging to the family of horses). Because of this, these three animals can inter-breed, hence the probability for creation of more breeds and new strange names such as zebrule.

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