Przewalski's Horse Colt Continues Zoo Praha's Success With Species
April 06, 2013
Early on the morning of March 27, a Przewalski’s Horse was born
at the Czech Republic’s Zoo Praha, the 219th member of this endangered species
to be born at the zoo. Przewalski’s Horses were once extinct in the
wild and have since been reintroduced to their native central Asian habitat thanks
to efforts of zoos and reserves around the world.
The colt, a male, was born to mother Jessica and father Len. Despite chilly temperatures, the colt is nursing successfully and finding his way around the zoo’s enclosure.
Photo Credits: Tomáš
Adamec, Zoo Praha
Przewalski’s Horses, a subspecies of wild Horse, are thought to be the only remaining true wild Horses in the world. After the last wild herds in Mongolia were wiped out in the 1960s, Zoo Praha and other European zoos held the only members of this species. At one point, only 12 Przewalski's Horses were left in the entire world.
Breeding programs in zoos and reserves successfully bred the few remaining horses, with individuals being exchanged among facilities to maintain as much genetic diversity as possible. In 1992, 16 Przewalski’s Horses were released in the wild in Mongolia. Additional releases in the decades since have increased the wild population, but they are still classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.