When I was writing about the donks getting fed up waiting to be let out of the yard in the blurb that accompanied my main album shot today I remembered this photo that I took the other day on another occasion when the were waiting to be let out.
This pair is Jack and Lilly. Donkeys usually form a strong pair-bond with one other, who is called their 'friend.' Jack and Lilly are very closely bonded, as are Angus and Joey Boy. This is why donks shouldn't really be kept alone and why if one of them gets ill and has to be admitted to the veterinary hospital their friend has to go with them to avoid them being so stressed out as to develop a condition called hypolipaemia which in donks is often fatal. If Jack and Lilly are separated, and Jack can't see her then he completely panics. Angus and Joey Boy, though bonded, are more laid back in the same situation.
Sometimes when one of the pair dies, the other one frets and dies too. This is partly why when the sad time comes the surviving donk has to be left with the body of its friend until it has come to terms with the loss and moves away of its own accord. Sometimes this happens very quickly, and sometimes it takes days.
Angus and Joey Boy are both somewhere in the region of 30 years old, and I dread that day.
Lilly often rests her head on Jack's back, Jack often comes up to me and plonks his very heavy head on my shoulder, and when I am bending over to clean his hooves out Joey Boy often rests his head on my back - very nearly causing me to collapse in a heap in the process.
Awesome shot, and awesome story. I didn't realize donkeys were so closely bonded. I see the same thing with cows on pasture. They form close bonds as well.
The bonds that bind!
@jantan Wow I am very impressed, I did not expect such wonderful shots to come from the 100mm , you have shown great examples of what it can achieve, definitely going on my 'what lens to try next' list. Many thanks
August 2nd, 2013
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The bonds that bind!