Serving mankind for thousands of years, donkeys perform a wide range of tasks: they help with farm chores, transport goods, service mules, keep horses company, herd sheep, and even act as pets. The capabilities of these mammals are manifold. Donkeys are highly adapted and appreciated in many regions for their ability to live in the desert. Thanks to their strong stomachs and ability to extract water from food, donkeys outperform horses in this area. Donkeys have become popular because of the help they have been able to give soldiers in wartime, and because of their great reliability. They are appreciated and increasingly widespread throughout the world.