Przewalski's Horse Colt Continues Zoo Praha's Success With Species

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.