zpostcode
Do All Donkeys Have a Cross on Their Back?
May 17, 2026 10:32 AM

  

Do All Donkeys Have a Cross on Their Back?1

  #Notalldonkeys? (more) Do All Donkeys Have a Cross on Their Back? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/Do-All-Donkeys-Have-a-Cross-on-Their-Back Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

  External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Written by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep. 25, 2025 •Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Not all donkeys have a cross on their back, but most of them do. The distinctive cross pattern consists of a dark stripe along the donkey’s spine from the mane to the tail and a perpendicular stripe across its shoulders. Experts suggest that it arises from the species’ genetic makeup, but the cross’s visibility can vary depending on the donkey’s coat color. For instance, donkeys come in a range of colors from white to gray or black, and the contrast of the cross may be more or less visible depending on these colors. Some researchers think that the donkey’s cross ...(100 of 262 words)

  Continue reading with Britannica Premium The trusted destination for facts and information 7-Day Free Trial, No Ads, Unlimited Access Subscribe Today

Comments
Welcome to zpostcode comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Recommend >
Nervous Conditions
     Tsitsi Dangarembga Tsitsi Dangarembga, author of Nervous Conditions (1988), in 2022. (more) Nervous Conditions novel by Dangarembga Written by Sophie Thomas Sophie Thomas is a Lecturer in English at the University of Sussex, where she teaches a range of subjects, including 18th- and 19th-century literature. She is also a contributor to 1001 Books You Must... Sophie Thomas Fact-checked by...
Shubman Gill
     Shubman Gill Indian cricketer Shubman Gill during a nets practice session at Headingley cricket ground, Leeds, England on June 18, 2025. (more) Shubman Gill Indian cricketer Written by Sanat Pai Raikar Sanat Pai Raikar is a quizmaster and writer based out of Bangalore, India. His first quiz book, Three's A Quiz, was written from memory. Sanat has cofounded Quizarre,...
67: More Than Just Slang
     More than a meme The number 67 may have gone viral as the slang term six seven, but its mathematical story runs much deeper—from prime patterns to complex numbers. (more) 67: More Than Just Slang Written by Anoushka Pant Anoushka Pant holds a degree in elementary education, with a focus on mathematics, education, and psychology, from Miranda House, University...
Artemis II
     Artemis II crew (From left) NASA astronauts Christina Koch, Reid Wiseman (seated), and Victor Glover, Jr., and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen are the crew of the Artemis II mission, which is to fly around the Moon in 2026. (more) Artemis II U.S. space mission Written by Erik Gregersen Erik Gregersen is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica,...
Information Recommendation
Jeffrey Epstein’s Islands
     Jeffrey Epstein's island Little St. James Island featured pools, villas, and a helipad. It was also the site of sex trafficking, according to Epstein's accusers. (more) Jeffrey Epstein’s Islands Inside the sex offender’s most notorious lair Written by Tracy Grant Tracy Grant is a senior editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously served as editor in chief, the first woman...
U.S. Athletes Speaking Out at the 2026 Winter Olympics
     Hunter Hess American freestyle skier Hunter Hess after placing second in the half-pipe event at the U.S. Grand Prix, held at Copper Mountain, Colorado, on December 20, 2025. (more) U.S. Athletes Speaking Out at the 2026 Winter Olympics Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years...
Black Tuesday and the Crash of 1929
     All was lost Bankrupt investor Walter Thornton tries to sell his luxury roadster for $100 cash on the streets of New York City following the 1929 stock market crash. (more) Black Tuesday and the Crash of 1929 October 29, 1929, marked the end of the beginning of the Great Depression Written by Michele Metych Michele Metych is the lead...
What Is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Endangerment Finding?
     Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C. (more) What Is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Endangerment Finding? EPA rule [2009] Written by John P. Rafferty John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate...
Trinamool Congress
     Trinamool Congress flag Supporters of the Trinamool Congress waving the party flag at a gathering addressed by Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal, India, in 2025. (more) Trinamool Congress political party, India Also known as: All India Trinamool Congress, Trinamul Congress(Show More) Written by Gitanjali Roy Gitanjali Roy is senior editor, Encyclopaedia Britannica. She has over two decades...
Deaths in 2026
     Catherine O'Hara Canadian actress Catherine O'Hara, 2020. (more) Deaths in 2026 Written by Amy Tikkanen Amy Tikkanen is Managing Editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. Amy Tikkanen Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.......
Howard Lutnick
     Billionaire cabinet member Howard Lutnick, secretary of commerce in Donald Trump's second administration, spent much of his career building wealth on Wall Street. (more) Howard Lutnick Commerce secretary in second Trump administration Written by Fred Frommer Fred Frommer is a sports historian, author, and writer who has written for a host of national publications. Fred Frommer Fact-checked by Britannica...
Today in History—February 12: The Surreal Theft of The Scream
     February 12, 1994: While Norway was preparing for the Winter Olympics, thieves made off with a treasure. (more) Today in History—February 12: The Surreal Theft of The Scream Written by Alicja Zelazko Alicja Zelazko is Associate Editor, Arts and Humanities, covering topics in the visual arts, architecture, music, and performance. Before joining Encyclopædia Britannica in 2017, she worked at...