Ask A Scientist© Zoology Archive

name       Laurie
status     educator
age        30s

Question - What is the origin of mules? When were they
first bred? Was  the name "mule" ever used interchangeably with "donkey",
historically? When were they first known to be sterile?


A mule as you know is a cross usually between a male donkey ( "jack") and a
female horse. The mule is always sterile and can be quite large.  I have
owned a number of donkeys, mules and horses and my biggest mule was about 16
hands and almost draft horse weight. To my knowledge anywhere in the world
where the donkeys and horses co-existed was sure to have the mule...jacks
will chase a mare down when they have the hankirin to do so. As a matter of
logic I think any farmer from the earliest times would have soon found that
the mule was "barren". The Romans knew this to be so. As far as
interchanging the terms...from my Latin I know the terms are NOT
interchangable...the Latin word for mule is mulus and the latin word for
donkey or ass is asellus So the Romans knew the difference between an ass
and their ............mule. (-;

PF
========================================================