FAQ's

When humans began domesticating wild EQUIDS these animals became an integral part in humankind's history. Modern-day, domesticated forms of EQUIDS are still very much part of our lives and their wild counterparts are still important lest the process of domestication lose its genetic base. We want others to know how wild EQUIDS have been and continue to be, important to everyone.

Who is the AZA?
The American Zoological Association represents virtually every professionally operated zoological park, aquarium, oceanarium, and wildlife park in North America as well as more than 5,500 individual members. The AZA supports membership excellence in conservation, education, science, and recreation.

What's an EQUID TAG?
TAG is an acronym for the Wild EQUID Taxon Advisory Group (TAG)which provides advice and recommendations to institutions regarding the captive management of wild horses, zebras and asses. Responsible, ethical animal management uses many implementations and all are equally important.

The EQUID TAG makes recommendations to participating institutions on which animals should mate to keep captive, wild EQUIDS genetically similar to what they were in the wild. A most important job before the Equid TAG is our support for conservation efforts around the world. Our TAG feels that conserving wild EQUIDS outside captive situations and the habitat they need is very important. The Equid TAG also champions the ethical considerations of all wild EQUIDS and share newly developed safe, effective medical procedures for use in captivity and in the wild.
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Are zebras white with black stripes or black with white stripes?
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What's a mule? / What's a hinny?
Breeding a male donkey to a female horse results in a mule. Breeding a male horse to a female donkey produces a hinny. Offspring from either cross, although fully developed as males or females, are almost always sterile.

Donkey - jackass - burro, same animal?
Yes; donkey, ass and a burro are all the same animal. Jackass is the name for the male ass and jennett is the name for the female ass.

What's a "wild" EQUID?
Horses, zebras and asses that have not gone through selective breeding for various physical and behavioral characteristics can be considered "wild." Selective breeding is known as domestication. We use the word "wild" to make a distinction between our focus on wild EQUIDS and the domesticated varieties that exist today.

What's "wild", "tame", "trained" and "domesticated"?
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Equids
EQUID or EQUIDAE is the name of a group of organisms that contains asses, zebras and horses. A group, in the classification system, is known as a Taxon. Animals that are characterized by having only one digit on their forelimbs and hind limbs are grouped together in the TAXON EQUIDAE.

In EQUIDS, this digit or finger is comparable to the finger between our ring and index finger. The terminal bones of their "finger" are modified to carry the weight of EQUID bodies.