How about taking donkey milk!

NEW DELHI: Don't fret, it's not happening any soon. But the Modi government is seriously exploring the possibility of promoting donkey milk in the country as a measure to save the animal from extinction as India has already lost more than half of its population. Concerned over the latest livestock census report of 2019, the population of donkeys has fallen by a massive 61 per cent since 2012. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying has asked the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to find out how to promote the donkey milk as that will help in conservation of the animal. Their numbers in India now stand at just 1.20 lakh as against 3.20 lakh seven years ago. The decline in their number is uniform in almost all the states.

The ministry has sought a report from the ICAR on the basis of one of its study underlining that donkey milk has four times the Vitamin C as cow's milk, and it also contains casein, lactose, vitamins A, B1, B6, D and E, besides being useful for beauty products. The prime reason for drop in the donkey population is the decreased working utility in the face of increased mechanisation. The authorities, however, say wildlife mafia that used to deal in tiger skin and parts have now switched over to donkeys who are in much demand in China for its medicinal use. Some killings of donkeys have been reported in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.