WEIRD NEWS OF THE WEEK: Meet Boneco - the world's first beekeeping donkey with his own uniform

In Brazil, beekeeping isn't only performed by humans...

By Dave Lancaster |

17:33 30 April 2014

Boneco the donkey has become an internet sensation. No ordinary ass, Boneco is actually a trained (and highly successful) beekeeper, complete with his own sting-resistant suit. 

 

His owner, a beekeeper called Manuel Juraci, needed a partner to harvest honey in Itatira, Brazil and found that Boneco could fit the bill. 

 

Manuel set about making a protective suit for his new staff member and with a little training, the duo have become the most successful of the region’s 120 beekeepers.

 

In Brazil, beekeepers have to be careful about their specific breed - Africanized bees, sometimes referred to as killer bees.

 

Talking to Brazilian television station G1 Ceara, Manuel said: “The donkey is the only one in the entire Brazil that does this job." 

 

Manuel may have been selling himself short - it's thought that Boneco is the only donkey in the world employed in this fashion. 

 

But the relationship is more than just professional. "Not to discount the others but Boneco is a faithful friend," Manuel gushed.