The Karoo Donkey Sanctuary has brought 32 donkeys to safety after a complex rescue operation from Wupperthal, a remote mission station deep in the Cederberg Mountains, bordering the Tankwa Karoo.

The sanctuary was alerted last week to a herd of 40 donkeys rounded up by members of the local community. With buyers actively sourcing donkeys for South African slaughterhouses and the donkey-skin trade, the organisation believed the herd was potentially at risk and needed urgent intervention.

Fragile herd

When the sanctuary team reached Wupperthal the condition of many of the donkeys was deeply concerning. The herd included visibly underweight mares with young foals at foot and 18 intact stallions. Some of the mares were also possibly pregnant.

“What we discovered in this remote mountain valley was deeply concerning,” said Jonno Sherwin, founder and CEO of the Karoo Donkey Sanctuary. “We could not simply turn our backs on this fragile herd. We had to help.”

Founded in 1830 as South Africa’s first Rhenish mission station and later entrusted to the Moravian church, donkeys have always featured in Wupperthal’s nearly 200-year history. They have carried people and produce through the rugged Cederberg Mountains when few other forms of transport could negotiate the terrain. Animals have helped sustain these mountain communities for generations, and now they needed protection themselves.

Donkey-skin trade

Across South Africa donkeys face growing threats from neglect, commercial slaughter and demand for their skins. Donkey hides are used to produce ejiao, a traditional Chinese product made using collagen extracted from the skins, creating the real risk of animals disappearing into a largely hidden supply chain.

“By bringing them into the sanctuary we are not only saving individual lives,” said Sherwin. “We are ensuring these donkeys will never be sold, slaughtered or reduced to the value of their skins.”

Rescue operation

The rescue required careful planning, coordination and specialist transport. With the assistance of the Clanwilliam Animal Welfare Society (CLAWS) and New Turf Carriers the donkeys were moved out of the Cederberg Mountains to a holding facility before beginning the long journey across the Western Cape.

When the team arrived to collect the herd at sunrise on Saturday 12 September they discovered eight donkeys had disappeared during the night.

“Those eight donkeys have not been forgotten,” said Sherwin. “However, given the considerable logistical complexities of returning to such a remote area and undertaking another rescue operation, any plans to go back for them are currently on hold.”

Journey to safety

The remaining 32 donkeys were transported for approximately three hours to Clanwilliam, where they were carefully transferred onto specialist equine transporters for the journey to the sanctuary.

After approximately 14 hours in transit the herd arrived safely at around 21:00 on Saturday evening. Their shelter had been prepared in advance and carers were waiting to settle them in and assess their immediate needs.

The following morning, the donkeys stepped out into the Karoo sunshine to graze, explore their new surroundings and begin adjusting to sanctuary life.

“It is an enormous relief to know that, after all the planning and hard work, these 32 donkeys are safely in our care,” said Sherwin.

Gelding clinic

The sanctuary now needs to raise R63 000 to hold a gelding clinic for the herd’s 18 intact stallions. At R3 500 per stallion the procedures are essential to prevent further breeding and enable the herd to be managed safely and responsibly.

“A donation of R3 500 will cover the gelding of one stallion, but every contribution, regardless of its size, will take us closer to our R63 000 target,” said Sherwin.

“We wish to thank every person who assisted with this rescue, everyone who has already donated and all those who offered messages of support. The Karoo Donkey Sanctuary exists because of the supporters and donors who make this work possible.”

Members of the public can make a once-off donation towards the gelding clinic or join the sanctuary’s Long Ears Club as monthly supporters. Visit www.karoodonkey.org for donation details.

The Karoo Donkey Sanctuary provides rescue, rehabilitation and lifelong sanctuary to donkeys and other farmed animals. It is Africa’s only Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries verified equine sanctuary.

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