Donkra...Zebkey...wait, what?

Apparently the correct term I'm looking for is "Zedonk" - a hybrid mix of a zebra and a donkey.  How the hell would a zebra and a donkey mate you ask?  Good question.  The answer can be found most recently at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in northern Georgia.  "Well, Georgia, that explains it" -you may be thinking and I wouldn't necessarily argue with that logic but apparently this isn't totally out of the question.  This happens enough that there's a damn Wikipedia page dedicated to it.  

'Not only does it spook easily but it can also carry all your shit up a mountain.

This most recent occurrence is detailed in this gainesville times article.  The preserves founder and general manager, C.W Wathen (strong name by the way) said that in all his 40 years of running the preserve and having the animals running the fields together, he'd never seen anything like it. 

Mr. Wathen then goes on to specify that this particular zedonk displays the instincts of a zebra...to which I say - how the hell can you tell?  If it sees a lion approaching it runs like hell?  Apparently donkey foals will typically lay on their side sunning themselves - but this one sits up alert all the time as if it were scanning for predators.   

 Mr. Wathen specializes in - white tigers (genetically inferior animals that would have almost zero chance of survival in the wild) but contends that this may be one of the most unique creatures ever born on his preserve.  In a few weeks the foal will be allow to roam the 25 acre non-profit with the rest of the animals.  

The story ends with this amazing quote:

“We keep all the animals fed really well, so a lot of the animals that would normally be predators in the wild run together in the same areas here,” Wathen said. “In the wild they are competing for food, but here they don’t have to compete, so there’s no fighting.”

What? you let camels and donkeys and zebras run around with panthers and tigers?  Maybe you keep the carnivores and the herbivores separated - just in case.  I don't care how well fed you keep big cats, they still have instincts to hunt and need that physical stimulation to keep them sane and healthy.  I can't believe that dude keeps all his critters together but admittedly, they do things differently in backwoods Georgia.

I'm now inspired to investigate what other weird hybrids are on display for our viewing pleasure in this wide world of genetic manipulation...perhaps a topic for an in-depth report to come.