A four-day-old zedonk, a rare cross between a zebra and a donkey, stands next to her mother at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Lumpkin County, Ga., on Monday. (Tom Reed/The Times/Associated Press)A zedonk, an unusual cross between a donkey and a zebra, is attracting attention at the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in northern Georgia after being born there about a week ago.

The animal, which has a zebra father and donkey mother, has black stripes prominently displayed on her legs and face.

C.W. Wathen, the Dahlonega preserve's founder and general manager, says the foal has a zebra's instincts. Wathen says she sits up instead of lying on her side, as if she's staying alert for predators.

Donkeys and zebras don't usually mate, but zedonks turn up occasionally. The preserve says this is the first time in 40 years that a zedonk has been born there.

Wathen says that in about two weeks, the zedonk will begin roaming the property with the rest of the animals.