Donkey abattoirs cause stir

A video footage asking for help to stop donkey abattoirs from opening in Namibia that was produced by a prominent Namibian tourism operator has been viewed by more than 66 000 people since last week.The 90-second video, produced by Gondwana Collection Namibia and shared on their popular Facebook page last week, asks followers to “Help us save Namibia's donkeys”.The video urges those opposed to donkey abattoirs to sign an online petition, which has so far attracted close to 4 000 signatures.Since it was made public, the video has been shared more than 520 times and attracted over 100 comments, many in favour of banning donkey abattoirs but some also in support.Footage tracing the history and important role of donkeys in the lives of Namibians, is set against the backdrop of a popular Afrikaans song about donkeys – 'die donkie is 'n wonderlike ding' (the donkey is a wonderful thing). The video concludes with a request to “sign the petition to stop the donkey abattoir in Namibia”.Globally, the demand for donkey skins in China has led to a boom in the trade of donkey skins and a sharp increase in the value of donkeys, donkey theft and the illegal trade. An article by the BBC this month states that “the world's donkeys are facing a population crisis because of the huge demand for their skins in China, where they are used to make health foods and traditional medicine.” The same fears are present in the current debate in Namibia, with many arguing that the donkey population, estimated to be no more than 160 000, faces extinction should two proposed donkey abattoirs in Outjo and Okahandja open their doors. “These figures are wholly unsustainable when weighed up against the lengthy breeding cycle of donkeys and the mature age a donkey needs to reach for slaughtering for the skin,” Alex Mayers of the Donkey Sanctuary UK said in the wake of a visit to Namibia recently. In a statement this month, the Donkey Sanctuary, which is leading the efforts to draw worldwide attention to the trade in donkey skins for the use in traditional Chinese remedies, sounded the alarm over the proposed donkey abattoirs after visiting the regions and proposed sites with the SPCA Namibia and the NSPCA South Africa. Mayers concluded that “Outjo and Okahandja municipalities, along with the central government of Namibia, have an opportunity to learn from the disastrous consequences of the skin trade in other African countries, and protect the livelihoods of the tens or even hundreds of thousands of Namibians that depend on donkeys. We call on them to hear those voices.”In September, a statement by the Donkib (||îb) Ge Cultural Group listed the crucial role of donkeys in poor communities and warned the trade could further impoverish many.Several recent international and local articles have warned that legalising the trade opens the doors to the black market, and theft, with donkey smugglers taking advantage of already existing criminal networks to meet the demand for donkey skins. The BBC article interviewed a Kenyan man recently, whose donkey, Carlos, was stolen and killed by poachers for the skin trade. He told reporters that the theft of his donkey led to a domino effect which has led to a loss of money for school fees, rent and providing for his family. JANA-MARI SMITH

Donkey abattoirs cause stir

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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Donkey abattoirs cause stir

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-02

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