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Âne Corse

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Corsican Donkey
a small dark-coloured donkey fitted with a small wooden saddle
Conservation status
Other names
  • Âne corse
  • U sumeru corsu
Country of originFrance
DistributionCorsica
Traits
Coatgrey or black

The Âne Corse, Corsican: U sumeru corsu, is a French breed of domestic donkey from the Mediterranean island of Corsica, a région and territorial collectivity of France. It was formerly numerous in the island, but numbers have fallen alarmingly. From about 2010 two associations sought its official recognition.

It was recognised as a breed in 2020,[4]: 7  and a stud-book was established in the same year.[3] Like the other seven donkey breeds of France, it is an endangered breed;[5] a total population of 1500 to 2000 head was reported in 2024.[3]

History

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The indigenous donkey of Corsica is small – standing approximately 98 cm at the withers – and is usually grey. It is thought to have been present on the island since Roman times.[6] In modern times attempts have been made to increase its size by cross-breeding with imported stock including the Catalan from Spain, donkeys from the French mainland, and the Martina Franca of Puglia in Italy,[7] which has led to the development of a larger black type of donkey, standing 120–130 cm.[2]: 26–27 

Before the mechanisation of transport and agriculture in the 1930s there were more than 20000 donkeys in Corsica.[8] Until the 1960s large numbers were sold at miserable prices to the meat markets of Italy and mainland France; there is no tradition of eating donkey meat in Corsica,[8] and the recent appearance of donkey salami in shops there is a consequence of tourist demand.[9]: 232 [10] Two associations, A Runcata ("the bray") and Isul'âne, were formed for its protection, and the first steps towards seeking official recognition for the breed were taken in 2010.[6][11]

In 2024 the total population of the Âne Corse was estimated at 1500 to 2000, including 50 breeding jennies and 10 jacks.[3] Its conservation status was not listed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 2007,[1]: 43  but was listed as "critical" by the SAVE Foundation in 2008.[2]: 26–27  In 2025 it was listed in DAD-IS as "at risk/critical".[3]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Corsican donkey.
  1. ^ a b Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Waltraud Kugler, Hans-Peter Grunenfelder, Elli Broxham (2008). Donkey Breeds in Europe: Inventory, Description, Need for Action, Conservation; Report 2007/2008. St. Gallen, Switzerland: Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe. Archived 2 September 2009.
  3. ^ a b c d e Breed data sheet: Âne corse / France (Ass). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed July 2025.
  4. ^ Jean-Roch Gaillet (2020). Annuaire Écus 2020: Bilan statistique de la filière équine française - données 2019 (in French). Saumur: Institut français du cheval et de l’équitation. Archived 16 December 2020.
  5. ^ Maïssane Fraiji (20 June 2023). La survie de nos races d’équidés français menacée (in French). Cheval Magazine. Archived 30 June 2023.
  6. ^ a b [s.n.] (11 January 2011). Tallone: Isul'âne et A Runcata au chevet de l'âne corse (in French). Corse-Matin. Accessed July 2014.
  7. ^ Frédéric Tertrais (1982). Situation des populations d'équidés en Corse en 1981 (in French). Ajaccio: Parc Naturel Régional Corse; Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique. Cited by: Jean Sadaka (2013). L'Âne, symboles, mythes et caractères. Self-published, "Mon Petit Éditeur". Accessed July 2014.
  8. ^ a b Pierre Lanfranchi (22 June 2010). Le combat d'une poignée d'irréductibles pour la reconnaissance de l'âne corse Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine (in French). Midinews. Accessed July 2014.
  9. ^ Jean-Bernard Carillet (2010) Corsica, 5th edition. Footscray, Vic.; London: Lonely Planet.
  10. ^ [s.n.] (2 July 2009). Produits du terroir: Le saucisson d'âne, un attrape-touriste ancré dans la tradition (in French). Corse-Matin. Accessed July 2014.
  11. ^ [s.n.] (6 January 2011). L'âne corse en quête, à son tour, d'une reconnaissance officielle (in French). Corse-Matin. Accessed July 2014.



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