World’s Last Wild Horses Return to Kazakhstan Steppes From European Zoos After Two Centuries

After being away for about 200 years, the world's last wild horses have returned to their home country of Kazakhstan.

Four mares from Berlin, one stallion, and two other mares from Prague were transported to the Central Asian country on a Czech Air Force transport plane.

A Historic Reintroduction for Biodiversity

It is thought that horses were first tamed around 5,500 years ago in the vast steppe fields of central Asia, where Przewalski's horses used to roam. The species was very close to going extinct by the 1960s because of things people did, like hunting and building roads. Bringing these horses back into the area will increase biodiversity, benefiting wildlife and ecosystem processes.

Filip Mašek, a spokesman for the Prague Zoo, said that Przewalski's horses are exceptional because they are the only type of wild horse still alive. The horses brought back to Kazakhstan are related to those who lived in zoos in Munich and Prague and survived. Eight horses were supposed to go, but one had to be returned to the Prague Zoo because it felt sick before the trip.

For the 30-hour trip, the horses had to stand up so their blood could flow adequately, making it hard. Even though it would be hard, Mašek talked about the benefits of sending the horses back to where they came from, where they could spread seeds, help water get into the ground, and feed the steppe with their waste. Miroslav Bobek, the head of the Prague Zoo, said that the reintroduction was "almost a miracle" because of how little time there was to prepare and how unexpected the floods were in central Kazakhstan.

What are Przewalski's Horses?

Equus ferus przewalskii is the scientific name for Przewalski's horses. They are herbivores and can live for about 20 years in captivity.

Their shoulder height is between 48 and 56 inches, and they weigh between 440 and 750 pounds. These horses aren't as big as most domestic horses. They have thick necks, big heads, straight manes, and a dark stripe down their backs. Their sides and faces have pale white spots, and their legs are short and thin.

These horses can smell and hear things far away, and their sharp feet can dig up water in the ground. Grass is their primary food source, but they also eat plants, flowers, bark, leaves, and buds.

Because of too much killing and habitat loss, Przewalski's horses haven't been seen in the wild since 1968. But people tried to breed them in cages in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As a result, about 1,200 of them now live in zoos and protected areas in Mongolia.

READ ALSO: Vogelherd Horse: This 35,000-Year-Old Ivory Figure Is the World's First Carved Horse

Improving Efforts to Protect Ecosystems and Wildlife

The latest reintroduction in Kazakhstan was done by a group that includes the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan, the Prague Zoo, Tierpark Berlin Zoo, the Frankfurt Zoological Society, and the Forestry and Wildlife Committee of the Kazakh government. These partners aim to create a population of Przewalski's horses that can live independently. This will improve the steppe environment and help birds that nest on the ground, pollinators, and small mammals.

At the Alibi return center in central Kazakhstan, veterinarians monitor the horses closely to ensure their health after the long trip. Over the next five years, 40 horses will be sent to Kazakhstan, a big step forward in the fight against poaching.

Stephanie Ward from the Frankfurt Zoological Society was excited about the project. She said that the reintroduction of Przewalski's horses completes the trio of natural large herbivores in the steppe ecosystem: Asian wild asses, Saiga antelopes, and Przewalski's horses. The director of Zoo and Tierpark Berlin, Dr. Andreas Knieriem, praised the teamwork that made this reintroduction possible and stressed how important these horses are to protection efforts worldwide.

This project starts a new era in protecting Przewalski's horses, ensuring their survival, and restoring Kazakhstan's natural history.

RELATED ARTICLE: Can Animals Truly Smell Human Fear? Insights from Scent-Based Research on Horses and Dogs

Check out more news and information on Horses in Science Times.