In the same way that a bird falls in love with a fish, a zebra and a donkey pairing is thought to be far from a happy ending. The possibility of a zonkey -- a crossbreed of a zebra and a donkey -- is rare, biologists believe, because that the chromosomes of the two different species do not go well together.
A rebellious equine couple in the Reynosa Zoo in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, Mexico proved that love can defy gravity and, on a more scientific note, the theories on genetic incongruity. A female zebra named Rayas living in the zoo used to visit a dwarf blue-eyed albino donkey from a nearby farm, every afternoon. The donkey, Ignacio, would reciprocate the feelings by crossing into the zoo to see Rayas.
That romance bloomed and produced Khumba, a zonkey named after the half-striped zebra in the 2013 movie of the same name. And it is enjoying the best of both worlds at 26 kg and 70 cm.
Unlike the eponymous character in the movie, Khumba didn't have to embark on a quest in order for him to earn his stripes. After all, the newborn is a hybrid, the stripes are strikingly fine. It is as if Khumba is sporting a charming ensemble of striped leggings.
The stripes pop out well against the pony's brown fur, an unexpected color since Ignacio is an albino. But albinism is considered a genetically recessive trait even in animals, and Khumba is privileged to acquire coloration of a normal donkey.
Aside from Khumba, there have also been zonkeys born in the previous years. Consider Ippo, a zonkey born in Florence, Italy in July last year. The foal's stripes are evident on the whole body, particularly on the legs and became a widely talked about animal hybrid and tourist attraction.
The parents of Ippo, who was born at a wildlife center for unwanted animals, have a romantic story to share, too. After being rescued from a failing zoo, Ippo's father (a full-blooded zebra) was adopted by an animal reserve. The zebra then would climb over the fence that separated it from Ippo's mother, just to see her. Ippo's mother is a donkey of Amiata and is considered as an endangered species.
Since there is incompatibility with regards to a zonkey's chromosome structure, zonkeys like Khumba may not be able to produce an offspring.
