A magnificent creature was discovered at the Chyulu Hills National Park in Kenya, and it’s not a donkey or a zebra – it is a zonkey!

When Sheldrick Wildlife Trust caregivers found the little animal, they quickly noticed that the foal had faint stripes that covered just half of her body.

Then they realized that the creature was not a donkey or a zebra – it was a zonkey!

“Working with wildlife, one learns to expect the unexpected,” the group said in a press release. “Even the most seemingly straightforward story can eventually reveal its true stripes and end up surprising us all.”

The mother zebra was a stray who eventually ‘made herself at home’ in a community of local cattle herd. Animal rescue and rehabilitation organization Sheldrick Wildlife Trust then took her to Chyulu National Park.

According to the statement, the mother zebra had ‘obviously become acquainted with an amorous donkey.’

“The zonkey combines the sturdy body of its donkey sire and the striped legs of its zebra mother, which makes for a striking creature,” the wildlife trust explained.

“While it should otherwise lead a normal life, zonkeys are mules, meaning that it will be unable to successfully breed once it reaches maturity.”

The baby zonkey and mama zebra are now living a happy life at the Chyulu National Park, which has plenty of water and food and doesn’t have many predators.

Because the likelihood of a donkey and a zebra is uncommon and they do not have the same number of chromosomes, zonkeys are considered incredibly rare. That’s why this little creature is very special!

One Twitter user commented: “Best story today, a zonkey.”

Another wrote: “Amazing story God Bless them All. Love is LOVE. All the Best to the Wonderful people who save Lives everyday. True Heroes.”

A third added: “Holy striped stockings Batman!”

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