1/3 Donkey Basje (photo: Omroep Brabant).
There is a very special donkey at the children’s farm of Speelpark de Splinter in Eindhoven. At 46 years old, Basje is probably the oldest donkey in the Netherlands. The animal was brought to the petting zoo in a bad condition 25 years ago, but thanks to the caretakers, it is back in top shape. “We expect it to last for years to come.”
More than 25 years ago, Basje came to the petting zoo for the first time. “It was completely neglected and had overgrown hooves,” says caretaker Hugo Jansen. He came here with his buddy Doeke, who was also not in good shape. “When Doeke died, Basje was very sad about it. He entered a mourning process.”
Because donkeys are not good at being alone, a new buddy soon arrived. Basje and the white donkey Anja are now real buddies. “It took some getting used to in the beginning. They fought sometimes, but now it’s going fine. They can’t live with or without each other.”
“Occasionally he scares us.”
Basje has completely recovered at the petting zoo. The animal is now very old. “We have been told that a donkey lives up to 45 years old, so he is already over that,” says Jansen. In January, the donkey will be 47 years old. “We hope he will make it, because then Basje will be the oldest donkey that ever lived in the Netherlands.”
The elderly animal will certainly achieve that, the caretaker expects. “He is in super condition. Occasionally he scares us with some health problems, but then we call in the doctor and Basje continues.”
The keepers’ secret? “He gets a lot of love and attention from the volunteers,” says Jansen. Due to its advanced age, the animal is closely monitored. “He is combed daily, gets an extra blanket in time in the winter and volunteers take a weekly walk with the donkeys through the park. Enough exercise is important at this age.”
The old donkey also gets an extra meal every afternoon to keep up his strength. “It contains extra nutrients. We dilute it with water, so that it is easier to eat.”
“We assume that Basje will last for years to come.”
The caretaker suspects that Basje is the oldest donkey in the Netherlands. To be sure, he recently made a request via the club magazine of De Vereniging het Nederlands Ezelstamboek (VNE). “I asked if anyone had an older donkey. We didn’t get a response, so we really think that Basje is the oldest donkey.”
Jansen hopes that Basje will eventually become the oldest donkey in the world. “That would be nice,” he says with a laugh. “I think the record is 53 years old. In any case, we assume that Basje will last for years to come. He is in top shape and we try to keep it that way.”
In any case, Basje is a celebrity in Speelpark de Splinter. Many people from the area know no better than that the donkey is walking around. “We sometimes hear stories from people who used to visit Basje as a child and now come here with their own children.”
Do you have a donkey that is older than 46 years? Then send us one email.
