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Forbidden love: zebra + donkey = zonkey

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Florence, Italy is a city of wine, art and endless beauty—the most romantic city in the world for The Daily Caller’s money.

It comes as no surprise, then, that a zebra named Martin and a donkey named Giada would be able to find amore inside an exotic animal shelter in this historic jewel of the Renaissance.

The rare “zonkey” that resulted from this romance is named Ippo, reports Digital Journal.

Ippo is three months old and resides at the Aglietti farm right in Florence. The family-run farm, which takes in previously abused and neglected animals, is currently home to some 170 animals including Vietnamese pigs and camels.

Nobody witnessed it, but the theory of Ippo’s creation is that Martin, who came from a troubled zoo, jumped out of his pen, made his way over to the donkey stable and lifted the latch with his snout. Martin the zebra then mated with Giada the donkey.

About a year later, Ippo showed up. The zonkey baby is now drawing big, adoring crowds at the Aglietti shelter.

“It is very rare that a zebra and a donkey mate and reproduce,” said Serena Aglietti, the shelter owner’s daughter, according to The Economic Times.

The shelter owners say they have received image rights requests from a stuffed-animal company and even Disney.

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