Fighting over scarce amounts of water and grass with domesticated livestock?!
The African Wild Ass is considered as the ancestor of domesticated donkeys. They are believed to have lived over a broad area of North Africa. However, as more and more domesticated livestock such as cattle and sheep were put out to graze where the African Wild Ass lived, the animals had to fight for their water and grass, resources that have always been scarce in supply. Obviously, farmers would chase the African Wild Ass away on sight from their pastures, depriving them of water and grass, and causing their number to decrease. Today, the African Wild Ass can only be found in three countries in North Africa.

Increasing danger caused by left-over weapons
In addition to their struggle with domesticated livestock to secure food and water, the African Wild Ass also became a hunted animal for consumption and medicine. Many dangerous weapons found their way into the homeland of the African Wild Ass due to the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea. There is a concern that these weapons will be used more often from now on to hunt more of the African Wild Ass. Currently, there is a protection program in progress to move the African Wild Ass into a protected area of Israel.