Small-town donkey discovers skill for jumping, wins hearts around the world

Famed for its dancing horses, Egypt now has an internationally acclaimed jumping donkey.

The leaping donkey has become a beloved spectacle for residents in the Nile Delta village of Arid, while photos and videos of the athletic animal have impressed audiences worldwide.

The female donkey has an almost preternatural instinct to leap over obstacles, the Associated Press reported. Her 14-year-old owner, Ahmed Ayman, trained her to bound over fences and logs in the same manner that horses are trained in equestrian contests.

Donkeys are not historically known for their speed or agility when it comes to leaping over high obstacles. These abilities have catapulted Ayman’s nimble donkey to international animal stardom.

Ayman discovered the donkey’s unusual skills when he saw her soar over an irrigation canal one day, he told AP. “We got a very small barrier, and then would make it higher and higher each day,” he explained.

Ayman’s uncle said he had tried to teach other donkeys to jump over obstacles, but they would refuse.

The teenager declared he would never sell his donkey, no matter the price, “because she can jump, and I love her.”

Another donkey captured headlines in Egypt in April of last year when it breached several lines of security around Cairo Airport and made its way to the departure terminals. The donkey reportedly lingered around the parking lot for two days before being escorted away by airport personnel.

Some social media accounts sarcastically claimed the donkey was seeking to fly away and immigrate from Egypt to find a better life elsewhere.