Donkeys native to Brazil's semi-arid Nordeste region face possible extinction due to contested slaughter practices and ongoing legal uncertainty [1, 2].

The crisis threatens a species that serves as a national symbol and an essential part of the regional ecosystem. Because the legal status of the slaughter remains disputed, the animals lack consistent protection from commercial interests.

The dispute centers on the practice of "abate," or slaughter, which is driven by the commercial demand for collagen and other derivatives [5, 6]. While some reports indicate the Federal Justice system has prohibited the slaughter [2], other accounts suggest that judicial recesses have stalled final decisions, leaving the animals vulnerable [3].

Animal protection entities have been demanding a total ban on the slaughter of these animals since 2018 [7]. This legal impasse has lasted for at least five years [8], creating a regulatory vacuum that commercial operators may exploit.

The jumentos were introduced to Brazil roughly 600 years ago [9]. Despite their long history in the Nordeste and the state of Bahia, the species now struggles to survive the pressure of industrial demand [3, 4].

Conflicting reports highlight the instability of the current legal framework. Some sources said that the justice system has released the slaughter, while others said it is forbidden [1, 2]. This contradiction underscores the lack of a clear, enforceable national mandate to protect the species from extinction [1, 4].

“Donkeys native to Brazil's semi-arid Nordeste region face possible extinction.”

The precarious state of Brazil's donkey population reflects a broader conflict between traditional livestock use and modern industrial demand. The inability of the judiciary to provide a definitive, consistent ruling on the legality of slaughter creates a 'grey market' for collagen, where the risk of species extinction is weighed against commercial profit.