There are many rumors and superstitions surrounding the pregnancy of mules. One of the most prevalent beliefs is that pregnant mules bring bad luck, leading people to often kill pregnant female mules out of fear. But is this really true? Let’s explore the science behind these rumors.
Since ancient times, mules have been known as gentle, hardworking animals with extraordinary endurance. However, alongside their admirable qualities, they are also associated with some notorious rumors, the most prominent being the belief that pregnant mules will bring misfortune.
A mule is the result of the breeding between a horse and a donkey. They first appeared during the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period, around 2,400 to 2,500 years ago. At that time, due to their scarcity, mules were considered rare animals used only by the nobility for entertainment. By the Ming Dynasty, mules began to be bred in large numbers as draft animals.
A mule is the result of the breeding between a horse and a donkey.
Mules are hybrids of horses and donkeys, which means they have an odd number of chromosomes (63), unlike the even number found in typical animals (64 or 62). This leads to significant challenges in mule reproduction, resulting in very low rates of successful conception and pregnancy.
As a draft animal, mules have made substantial contributions to humanity since ancient times, especially in areas with underdeveloped transportation. They are often more useful than horses and donkeys and have played a significant role in agricultural development. Despite their great contributions, their lives remain harsh since they are not a distinct species but merely a hybrid existence.
There are two types of mules: horse mules and donkey mules.
- Horse mules are born from the mating of a male donkey and a female horse.
- Donkey mules are the result of a male horse mating with a female donkey.
There are significant differences between these two mule types, both physically and in terms of temperament.
Mules have greatly contributed to the development of agriculture and transportation.
Mules are gentle, hardworking animals with extraordinary endurance. They have significantly contributed to the development of agriculture and transportation.
Horse mules: They resemble horses more and inherit traits from horses. They consume a lot of food, are strong, and have excellent endurance. However, they can be somewhat temperamental but are highly intelligent and can understand human intentions. Horse mules can be used for about 20 years.
Donkey mules: They resemble donkeys more and inherit characteristics from donkeys. Their food intake is moderate, they have strong endurance, and they tend to be more docile compared to horse mules. However, they can be stubborn and do not understand human intentions. Donkey mules can be used for about 30 years.
Mules are often used for pulling carts and carrying goods. When transporting goods, a mule can walk about 30 to 40 km daily while creating very little dust, making them ideal for transportation.
Mules are more useful than horses and donkeys; they have fostered agricultural development.
Although mules possess the load-bearing capabilities and resistance of donkeys along with the speed and running ability of horses, they are incapable of reproduction. The primary reason for this is the difference in chromosome numbers between horses (64 chromosomes) and donkeys (62 chromosomes). When bred, mules have 63 chromosomes; this odd number cannot pair normally, leading to an inability to undergo normal cell division and resulting in infertility.
Despite their inability to reproduce, the reproductive system of mules remains intact. Female mules still have functional reproductive organs, a uterus, and can carry embryos. However, male mules are unable to impregnate females because they do not produce viable sperm. Therefore, normal mating among mules cannot produce offspring.
Normal mating among mules cannot produce offspring.
Although mules cannot reproduce when mating with each other, there have been rare reported cases of female mules giving birth when bred with male horses or male donkeys. Some notable cases include:
In 1916: DeChambre reported in the “Chronicles of Science and Technology in Animal Husbandry” from Germany that a female mule gave birth to five foals in Boulogne, France. Three foals were the result of mating with a male horse, while two were from mating with a male donkey. The foals born from the male horse were fertile, while the two born from the male donkey were not.
In 1923: At Texas Agricultural College in the United States, a female mule mated with a male horse and gave birth to a foal that looked identical to a horse and was fertile.
In 1924: In South Africa, a female mule mated with a male horse and gave birth to a foal, then mated with another male horse and gave birth to another foal.
These cases demonstrate that female mules can become pregnant when bred with male horses or male donkeys due to the chromosomes in their bodies forming independent gametes that can combine with those of the horse or donkey.
The pregnancy of a mule is a natural biological phenomenon.
Ancient people often relied on mysteries to explain phenomena they did not understand. Therefore, the pregnancy of a mule—a rare and hard-to-explain event—was attributed to superstitious rumors. The pregnancy of a mule is a natural biological phenomenon, unrelated to luck or misfortune.
The belief that a mule’s pregnancy is an omen of bad luck and that it will die after giving birth stems from the ignorance of ancient people and the superstitions of feudal times. They believed that mules would never become pregnant and viewed mule pregnancies as unfortunate. To avoid bad luck, they often killed pregnant mules.
Mules are unique animals, inheriting the advantages of both horses and donkeys but lacking the ability to reproduce. Despite their significant contributions to humanity, their lives are still fraught with difficulties and tragedies. The superstitions surrounding mule pregnancies are inaccurate and lack scientific basis. We need to better understand this species and treat them well, rather than believing in unfounded rumors.
