African wild ass

American  

[af-ri-kuhn wahyld as] / ˈæf rɪ kən ˈwaɪld ˈæs /

noun

1. a critically endangered wild ass, Equus africanus, inhabiting arid regions of the Horn of Africa and formerly distributed also through Sudan, Egypt, and Libya: domesticated and interbred for centuries, the African wild ass is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey.

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Etymology

Origin of African wild ass

First recorded in 1730–35

Example Sentences

Donkeys might have been tamer than their ancestors, the African wild ass, but the breeders in Mesopotamia wanted to back breed to other wild asses for strength and speed — and perhaps size.

From New York Times • Jan. 14, 2022

"We are only one of three collections in the U.K. to hold a breeding herd of African wild ass," Goodwin added.

From Fox News • Aug. 24, 2020

They evolved from the African wild ass, which is critically endangered.

From New York Times • Oct. 31, 2016

The reason may be that their ancestor, the African wild ass, is not a herd animal.

From New York Times • Oct. 31, 2016