By Dr. Otieno Mtula,
JULY 28 – In recent years, East Africa has been grappling with a quiet but deeply damaging crisis. Unlike the familiar threats of drought or disease, this one is driven by rising global demand for donkey skins. At its center is the fast-growing international trade in donkey skins, fueled by the production of ejiao—a gelatin used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Escalating demand has led to widespread, unregulated slaughter, creating a mounting humanitarian, economic, and animal welfare disaster across the region.
Donkeys are almost invisible in global and national policies despite the contribution they make to the livelihoods and resilience of communities across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, and many other countries, where they are essential to daily survival. These gentle, hardworking animals fetch water, transport goods, carry farm produce to market, and provide a much needed affordable and reliable means of mobility. Their economic role is particularly vital for women and children, who often rely on donkeys to reduce the burden of domestic and agricultural labour, generate a modest income and give them the opportunity to go to school.
In Kenya alone, it’s estimated that over 1.8 million donkeys support the livelihoods of more than six million people. Although donkeys are largely missing from formal GDP metrics, it is worth noting that donkeys play a crucial role in attainment of many of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, especially those concerned with gender equality and ending poverty. Yet, despite their importance, thousands of donkeys are disappearing – stolen from homesteads, trafficked across borders, and slaughtered to meet demand for their skins.
The economic boom in China over the last decade has directly influenced increased demand for ejiao which previously was a product of the few, reserved for the wealthy class. This in turn has resulted in increased demand for donkey skin which is fueling the current global crisis. As China’s own donkey population plummeted due to overexploitation, the industry turned its attention to countries in Africa and across the Global South, resulting in establishment of slaughterhouses dedicated to killing donkeys mainly for their skin. The consequences were swift and devastating.
Communities lost their animals overnight, and stories of donkey theft, inhumane slaughter, illegal bush slaughter and illegal trade in donkey skin and meat emerged.
The negative economic and livelihood impact of the skin trade far outweighed the short-term economic gain. Widespread reports emerged of decimated donkey populations, weakened community resilience, food system disruptions and an astronomical rise in donkey theft.
Donkeys reproduce slowly, and most rural families cannot afford to replace them, making the loss permanent for many.
The Donkey Sanctuary is a global animal welfare charity working in Kenya and over 30 other countries. Together with our partners in the International Coalition of Working Equids, we have documented widespread abuse and campaigned tirelessly for better protection of working donkeys. We are making an impact through our organizational four strategic pillars of knowledge sharing, championing better welfare for donkeys, being a voice for these invisible workers, and carrying out donkey welfare improvement projects in partnership with communities and key stakeholders.
Some of the key outcomes of our efforts are that governments across East Africa are moving towards regional cooperation to combat donkey trafficking. The Donkey Sanctuary had the honour of being invited to the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) in 2024 where we spoke of the need to safeguard donkey populations and enhance animal welfare. And we have been heard – when EALA reconvenes this year, the agenda will include deliberating on possible options to support the historic agreement to ban the slaughter of donkeys made in February 2024 during the 37th African Union Head of States Summit in Ethiopia.
In the meantime, across Africa, The Donkey Sanctuary strongly calls for and supports enforcement and reinforcement of existing bans to curb donkey theft and illegal movement and slaughter of donkeys for their skin. Veterinary officers, border officials, police, and local leaders need training, resources, and political backing to crack down on illegal slaughter operations. The Donkey Sanctuary is already working with agencies including Interpol, and with transport companies, to create awareness about the risks posed by this inhumane trade and how to identify shipments of donkey skins which may be used to conceal wildlife products or other illegal goods.
However, we cannot do this alone. That is why it was so encouraging to see the Abidjan Declaration come out of the Pan-African Donkey Conference in Cote D’Ivoire in June, strengthening the African Union’s 2024 Executive Decision to end the slaughter of donkeys for their skin and implement a continent-wide strategy for their welfare.
In a world grappling with rising inequality, limited infrastructure, and climate-related shocks, the unchecked slaughter of donkeys for ejiao is a threat we cannot ignore. Protecting donkeys is not a luxury, but a necessity for community resilience and sustainable development. If they are lost, we lose more than these precious animals, we lose the companions and co-workers who make such an important contribution to the livelihoods and resilience of millions of people.
The donkey skin trade is more than a crisis, it is a test of our governance, values, and will to protect the vulnerable. The time to act is now, before it is too late.
The writer is Regional Campaigns & Advocacy Manager (Africa) at The Donkey Sanctuary
