‘Donkey rout’: MP loses 94% of donkeys in 3 decades, now just 3,000 left

BHOPAL: Will donkeys go extinct in Madhya Pradesh? The latest livestock census paints a grim picture — the state now has just 3,052 donkeys, a sharp fall from 49,289 in 1997, marking a 94% decline in less than three decades. Nine of the 55 districts have reported zero donkeys, signalling near-total disappearance of the animal that once powered rural India’s transport and trade. While there are no specific studies behind disappearance of donkeys yet, Gurgaon-based animal rights activist Naresh Kadyan had urged the Centre to declare donkeys an endangered species, warning that China’s demand for donkey hide is pushing the decline. He blames China’s “ejiao” industry — where hides are boiled to extract gelatin used in traditional tonics, aphrodisiacs, and anti-ageing creams — for pushing t