| Horse, Przewalski's | |||
| Genus | Equus | ||
| Species | przewalskii | ||
| Status | Endangered | ||
| Habitat | deserts | ||
| Distribution | Near the Altai mountains of Mongolia; China | ||
| Height | 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) | ||
| Length | 9 feet (2.8 meters) | ||
| Weight | 440-660 pounds (200-300 kg) | ||
| Behavior | This ancient species of wild horse used to live on the warm southern slopes of the mountains and grassy plains of Mongolia in the autumn and winter. This area offered them protection from the snow. In the spring and summer they moved to the scrub desert to graze on a variety of grasses. Most adult animals were hardy enough to survive desert conditions, but many foals died in the late winter storms. | ||
| Breeding | Foals are born in April and May. | ||
| Conservation |
Prezwalski's horse is virtually extinct in its native Mongolian habitat because of overhunting and the spread of the human population. People are still searching for the small Mongolian herd to which this wild horse may belong. Because many domestic horses have interbred with Prezwalski's horses, it is believed that this small herd may contain the only pure wild horses left in the world!
For centuries, Chinese and Mongolian hunters killed small numbers of these horses for food. Later, modern rifles enabled them to kill many more of these animals. By 1879, Prezwalski's horses were already in danger of becoming extinct. In an attempt to save these animals, 32 of these horses were captured to form the breeding stock that would eventually populate zoos of the world. Scientists were concerned the offspring might become weakened because the parents were too much alike. In 1947 zoo workers looked for other Prezwalski's horses but found only one stallion. Today, most of the 1000 wild horses born in the world's zoos are descendants of this one horse. Over 100 zoos raise herds of Prezwalski's horses. If the wild Mongolian herd is ever found, zoos hope to introduce the captive animals back into their native habitat to roam free in the Gobi Desert. | ||
| Interesting Facts | Fossils show this small wild horse was once found in North America but became extinct close to the end of the last ice age. Prezwalski's horse is the size of a pony and is the only horse to have a stiff, brushlike mane. | ||
| Images and Video Clips | |||
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| Animal Communication Panel | |||
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