YOUNG LAMBS REST IN POUCHES TRANSPORTED BY DONKEYS ON HISTORIC TRAILS FOR SEASONAL GRAZING
For years, donkeys have been used to carry hefty loads, but in rural Italy, they now carry the most valuable cargo of all: newborn lambs. The donkeys delicately move their cute passengers from summer high mountain pastures to winter grazing on the Lombardy plains while wearing specially made saddles that each have a comfortable pocket for a lamb. Due to the long-standing custom of transhumance, these diligent animals have affectionately been dubbed "donkey nannies."
Originating from the Latin words "trans" (beyond) and "humus" (earth), transhumance is still a fundamental part of Italy's agricultural legacy. In 2019, UNESCO even designated it as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Shepherds lead flocks of 1,000–1,500 animals along historic migration routes called tratturi throughout the 10- to 20-day trip.
The newborn lambs are carried inside the saddles of the donkeys, while the adult sheep, cows, and donkeys are strong enough to walk. Along the route, the flocks and their shepherd pause frequently so the lambs can spend time with their mothers and acquire the food they require before continuing on their journey.
Northern Italy is not the only place where the traditional journey is practised. Transhumance roads extend from areas such as Marche, Umbria, and Lazio to the Tuscan Maremma plains. Even the islands of Sardinia and Sicily have ancient paths that wind through the Gennargentu and Nebrodi mountains, and the tradition is still practised in the south between Abruzzo and the Apulian Table.
Transhumance, which is still developing, provides an insight into Italy's connection to the land and its culture. Little lambs are kept secure and cosy throughout Italy because of conservation efforts that are currently preserving the old tratturi pathways.
