animal transportation

Animal transportation refers to the use of domesticated animals to carry goods, supplies, or people. These animals are often employed in terrains where wheeled vehicles are impractical. The donkey is one of the oldest known pack animals, with use dating back to possibly 3500 BC.1

Various animals are suited to different environments:
* Camels are used in deserts.
* Horses and mules are utilized in mountainous regions.
* Water buffalo are effective in marshy areas.

Other animals like oxen, reindeer, elephants, llamas, sheep, goats, yaks, and dogs have also served as pack animals. In many parts of the world, they remain the primary method for transporting loads. Historically, in Africa, bullocks may have been used to cross the Sahara before the camel's introduction. While the use of animals like donkeys, horses, and camels has decreased with improved infrastructure, they are still utilized in certain regions, particularly in highland areas like Ethiopia.12