Israel's 28 reintroduced wild donkeys transformed Ramon Crater into a desert oasis

In a wildlife reintroduction effort, Israel released 28 wild donkeys into the Ramon Crater desert to restore its degraded landscape. Over 44 years, the animals played a significant ecological role by digging depressions in the ground that retained water, effectively creating waterholes for desert wildlife. Their movement and grazing habits also helped spread acacia seeds through their droppings, encouraging tree growth across the arid region. These combined effects gradually transformed the once-barren crater into a thriving ecosystem. The remarkable ecological recovery has since drawn international attention as a model of natural habitat restoration.