Donkeys facing near extinction in Ghana; group raises concerns

National Coordinator of the “Fight Against Donkey Extinction” (FADE) project, Mr. Roger Kanton, has urged residents up north to desist from practices that threaten the survival of donkeys. Ghana’s donkey population is rapidly dwindling due to the widespread killing and export of these animals to China, where their skin is used for the production of anti-ageing and cosmetic products. This alarming trend is pushing donkeys towards the brink of extinction. “There will be no donkey left in Ghana very soon,” Mr. Kanton cautioned during a stakeholder meeting in Tamale in the Northern Region on Wednesday as part of the FADE project. “Within a decade, children from the donkey hub in this country, up north, will have to go to the Accra and Kumasi Zoo to see the donkey species and this is what we do not want to see.” Donkeys play a crucial role in the lives of many Ghanaians, particularly in the Northern Region. They are not only used for carting goods from farms to homes and market centres ...