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Do all donkeys have a cross on the back? That interesting question is asked by many of the visitors. The presence of the cross sign on the back of the donkey is not a formal thing. It must have a mystery hidden in it.
All of these things come into the mind of the person who observes the donkeys closely or has a donkey at his farm. Every person having a donkey has queries like why do donkeys have a cross on their back? Or Are donkeys born with a cross on their back?
These are the questions that urge me to do the little research on the cross sign on the donkey’s back. During the research, I find many interesting facts about donkeys that I want to share here on this website.
I discovered many theories gambling among the society members about the cross sign on the back of donkeys. From the scientific knowledge to the Jerusalem theory about donkeys, all are discussed here to clarify you with the actual reason behind the cross sign on donkeys.
Let’s get started from the very basic knowledge about cross sign on the newborn donkey.
Cross on the back of donkeys
Each donkey is defined by the cross on its back. Most of the donkeys, if not all, have a narrow strip of dark hairs running down their back from the head side and another strip of dark hairs crossing the first strip, moving along the shoulders. This makes the shape of a cross.
Almost all of the donkeys across the world have the cross sign on their back. It is actually the dark cross running down their spines and across their shoulders.
Do all donkeys have a cross on the back?
Yes, almost all the donkeys have the cross on their back. No matter if the donkeys belong to Jerusalem, Christ, or Easter, all the donkeys have the cross of dark hairs present on the back.
Both spirit and carrie have the cross on their backs.
Are donkeys born with a cross on their back?
Yes, it is a natural and genetic formation of the cross sign on the back of donkeys. I researched many publications and scientific writings and concluded that the newborn donkeys do have the cross on their back.
The cross sign has become a part of the genetic makeup of the donkeys and transferred to the offspring with a little modification in phenotypic performance among easter and Jerusalem donkeys.
Many people believe that Jerusalem, Christian, and Easter donkeys have their unique cross sign. All the donkeys have a unique shape of a cross on their back.
Jerusalem Donkeys
The term “Jerusalem Donkeys” comes from a legend of the donkey cross who explains that the donkey that carried Jesus to Jerusalem got the cast of a shadow of the cross that is crucified by Jesus on its back.
According to the legend, “ The cross sign on the back of donkeys is the reward for the loyalty and humbleness of the donkeys for Jesus. That’s why the Lord cast the shadow of the cross on the back of Jerusalem donkey.”
Why do donkeys have a cross on their back?
A vast number of theories about the cross on the back of donkeys. Some believe that the cross relates to the Jerusalem donkeys, while some belief in the camouflage of the evolutionary makeup of genes.
Two different concept/theories are gambling about the cross on the back of donkeys as
Jerusalem donkey concept
Some believe that the cross sign is the gift of the loyalty of a donkey for Jesus. It was the donkey that Jesus rode to enter Jerusalem so that donkey has a cross.
Nubian donkey cross sign on the back of each Jerusalem donkey is different than the other one. No one is similar to the other one.
Evolution of genes (Scientific)
The mystery of the cross sign on the back of a donkey is less symbolic in the scientific realm.
Scientists and researchers believe that the cross sign on the back of donkeys is the result of similar camouflaging that causes the color in modern horses behind the stripes of coats in the horse family.
Scientists believe that donkeys have been a part of human society for thousands of years. During these years a lot of genetic changes in the makeup occur and the cross sign is also a part of this camouflage.
According to Claire Wade, professor of computational biology and animal genetics at the University of Sydney, that the donkeys, zebras, and horses have common ancestors and they separated from each other about 3 million years ago and donkeys develop their striping or cross from the genetic makeup delivered by their ancestors.
Are donkeys the only animal with a cross?
No, donkeys are not the only animal having the cross. However, it is a little bit more visible on the donkeys. Some other animals like wild bears and Okapis, a relative of giraffes, have the cross sign.
But you can say that all the donkeys have the cross on their back.
