There are quite a few celebrities who have unusual pets. For instance, Michael Jackson had a chimpanzee named Bubbles and Jason Derulo has both sharks and a stingray in his home (yes, in his home). That’s not to mention the fact that “The Office” star Rainn Wilson, who fans of the show will know as Dwight Schrute, has a zonkey.
What is a zonkey? “A zonkey is a highly unusual hybrid between a zebra and donkey,” according to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. Frankly, they’re so unusual that in November 2018, the BBC reported about the birth of “Zippy, thought to be the UK’s second ever zonkey,” calling it “a super rare, external zebra-donkey hybrid.”
Before that, a “rare Italian-born baby zonkey” was born in Florence, in 2013, per ABC News, and in 2010, the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve in Georgia welcomed a zonkey, with RTÉ noting that “[a] female donkey gave her owners quite a surprise when she gave birth to a foal with striped legs.”
As for Rainn’s zonkey, it has been with his family for quite some time, which is why the actor is now celebrating the ridiculously cute and undeniably quirky creature.
Meet Rainn Wilson’s ‘Magical’ Zonkey Named Derek
“A little over 10 years ago, a magical creature came into our family. A Zonkey who our son lovingly named Derek,” Rainn wrote in the caption of a new Instagram post dedicated to the beloved animal.
“He’s a wild child,” Rainn continued. “Loves to occasionally kick. Loyal only to [Rainn’s wife, Holiday Reinhorn], the Zonkey whisperer. But he makes the world a more delightful place and we’re grateful. Loves his snacks and his ears scratched.”
The post also featured various photos of Derek along with Rainn, Holiday and the couple’s son, Walter — including one photo that appeared to show Derek in the house, surely on his best behavior.
Rainn Has Other Adorable Animals
Derek the zonkey isn’t the only animal that can be found at Rainn’s family farm.
There’s also “Chili Beans the (rescue) Donkey (sweeeetest creature on the planet),” according to an Instagram post that Rainn shared in March 2024, that shows the actor and his wife with both Derek and Chili (see above).
That’s not to mention the pigs, Amy and the Baron Von Snortington.
There’s also Alma, a peahen (which is a peafowl — “male peafowl are peacocks, female peafowl are peahens,” the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance explains).
On October 20, 2022, Rainn introduced his social media followers to a new pet, writing, “So @holidayreinhorn and I have a new member of the menagerie. Meet Francis. He’s a delightful fellow & gets along great with Shogun. She brought home a banner to celebrate our love for piggies. @laguineapigrescue”
Any chance Rainn’s Francis is named after another guinea pig with the same name from “Bob’s Burgers”?
Sadly, on February 3, 2025, Rainn revealed, “In 2024 we lost a beautiful family member. Poe. He was one of the weirdest and most fantastic dogs You could ever hope to meet. We had a special bond. R.I.P. Poe”
