Donkey:
Donkey refers to the Equidae family. The donkey is the offspring of female donkey and male horse. The donkey is being used as the working animal for at least 5000 years. People use it as the means of transportation or pulling a carriage or plough the field. The donkeys have lifespan of 30-50 years. They are family pets. Donkeys have 62 chromosomes. The donkey has a coarse tail. Donkeys are purebred. The donkey could show impatience under the pressure of heavy weight.
Mule:
Mule is a horse-donkey hybrid. It is the child of the female horse and male donkey. Mule is an offspring of female horse and male donkey. Mule has 63 chromosomes. Mules are stubborn, patience, endurance, friendly and playful. They even have temper. Mules can jump from the standing position. Mules are more intelligent than donkeys. The color, shape and size vary from one to other. Mules have smaller ears. The mule has the voice of the combination of horse and donkey. Mule is patient even if the load is heavy for it to carry.
Differences:
| Basis | Donkey | Mule |
|---|---|---|
| Definition (www.oxforddictionaries.com) |
A domesticated hoofed mammal of the horse family with long ears and a braying call, used as a beast of burden; an ass. | The offspring of a donkey and a horse (strictly, a male donkey and a female horse), typically sterile and used as a beast of burden. |
| Synonyms | Ass, fool, dummy, horse, burro, nitwit | Hybrid, cross, mulatto, elephant, antelope, hare |
| History | The ancestors of the modern donkey are the Nubian and Somalian subspecies of African wild ass. Remains of domestic donkeys dating to the fourth millennium BC have been found in Ma’adi in Lower Egypt, and it is believed that the domestication of the donkey was accomplished long after the domestication of cattle, sheep and goats in the seventh and eighth millennia BC. | The history of the mule and modern human race go hand in hand. Mules have been deliberately bred by humans since the Book of Genesis was first put down on parchment. The Hittites thought Mules to be more valuable than a chariot horse, and the mule was the favored mount of the Kings of Israel in biblical times. The exact origin of the first mule is unknown, but we do know that the mule was deliberately bred by man in ancient times. |
| Word origin | The word donkey was originated in Late 18th century (originally pronounced to rhyme with monkey): perhaps from dun1, or from the given name Duncan. | The word mule was originated from Old English mūl, probably of Germanic origin, from Latin mulus, mula; reinforced in Middle English by Old French mule. |
| Pronunciation |
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| Males called | Male Donkeys are called Jack. | Male mules are called Jack or John. |
| Females called | Female donkeys are called Jenny. | Female mules are called Molly. |
| Fertility | Donkeys can reproduce. | Mules are sterile which means it cannot reproduce. |
| Life span | The life span of donkey is 30 to 50 years. | The life span of mule is 30 to 40 years. |
| Chromosomes | Donkeys have 62 chromosomes. | Mules have 63 chromosomes. |
| Species | The species of donkey is E. africanus. | The species of mule is Equus asinus x Equus caballus. |
| Height | The height of donkey between 31 inches and 63 inches. | The height of mule depends upon the parent of the mule. |
| Weight | The weight of donkey is 80 to 480 kg. | The weight of mule is between 20 kg and 500 kg. |
| Breed | Pure bread | Hybrid between female horse and male donkey |
| Vocalization | Braying | Combinations of whinny and braying |
| Behavior | Stubborn, patience, endurance, friendly, playful | Patience, endurance of a donkey and strength of a horse |
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| Disadvantages | Its disadvantages are:
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