India, March 1 -- The number of donkeys in India decreased by over 60% in a decade

The sharp decline in donkey population in India over the last decade might be linked to emerging demand of donkey hide in the Chinese market, said Brooke Hospital for Animals (India), an international animal welfare organisation based out of London.

The country's donkey population shrunk to 0.12 million in 2019 from 0.32 million in 2012, according to the Livestock Census released in 2019. In 2007, there were 0.44 million donkeys in India.

The total population of horses, ponies, mules and donkeys decreased by 51.9 per cent since 2012. The decline (61 per cent) in the donkey population was the sharpest.

"It can be linked with the emerging demand of donkey...