What Does “A Drove of Donkeys” Mean?
“Drove” ties donkeys into the same droving tradition covered elsewhere on this site for cattle, horses, and sheep, moving livestock on foot to market or between locations. Donkeys have an especially long history as working pack and cargo animals, valued for millennia across many cultures for their strength relative to size, endurance, and notable ability to handle difficult, rocky terrain that would challenge horses.
Historically, donkeys were often driven in droves specifically for their transport capabilities rather than purely as livestock destined for sale, carrying goods over mountain paths, along trade routes, and through terrain poorly suited to wheeled carts. That working history runs deep enough that donkeys remain essential pack animals in various mountainous and rural regions around the world even today, a living continuation of the same practical role droves of donkeys served for thousands of years.
Example: “A drove of donkeys carried supplies up the mountain path, following a route used by traders for generations.”
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals