You may have heard of the Maltese donkey that used to deliver ice-creams in Maltese summers gone by, but the likelihood of spotting one nowadays is close to none.

That’s because the local donkey is classified as highly endangered, and has only now been officially identified as a species, through the study of naturalist Arnold Sciberras and botanist Jeffrey Sciberras, alongside equestrian trainer and coach Gina Curmi.

The three researchers have been collecting data in the form of images, accounts and hearsay for 10 years, which has unearthed a handful of closely related specimens fitting the breed description, to which the team then applied twenty universal standard measurements in order to identify this particular breed of donkey.

This study exposes the effort made by the Maltese landraces research group, a research initiative founded by the Sciberras brothers two decades ago, with the goal to promote scientific documentation of Maltese landraces. In fact, this study is part of a series of over 20 published works describing over 130 species of plants and 40 animal species originating in the Maltese Islands.

This initiative not only aids in the identification of the various species that fill the islands, but also in the education of those living here, which the group hopes will lead to a renewed appreciation of the local flora and fauna, particularly those that are endangered and might not be around much longer!

Have you ever seen a donkey in Malta?