Tristan's donkeys now graze peacefully, whereas in the past they carried people and goods.

Retired donkeys grazing

Dawn Repetto sent these two delightful photos of groups of donkeys grazing by Goose Hill on 4th January 2016.

Editor's Notes:

It looks like the group of donkeys number about nine animals. Dawn refers to them as 'retired' as donkeys are no longer used to carry loads, historically people and / or goods like firewood. They compete with cattle and sheep for limited pasture, and so, from time to time the Island Council consider a cull to limit their numbers. Nostalgia currently reigns, and this group represents a 'healthy' little herd. During one Island Council donkey purge in the 1980s, only those donkeys used by their owners for carriage could remain, so there was a spate of donkey riding, always conspicuous, so owners could keep their animals!