The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has announced the birth of a Przewalski’s horse — a critically endangered species of wild horse that was categorized as Extinct in the Wild until 1996.
The foal is the first Przewalski’s horse born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park since 2014 and is one of only four individuals born in North America over the past year.
“Every birth is a tremendous moment, so we are elated by this new foal,” said Kristi Burtis, wildlife care director at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. “We’ve had more than 157 Przewalski’s horses born at the Zoo and the Safari Park. They are an important wild horse species, and this new foal, along with each individual that was born at our parks, bolsters their fragile population—and represents our deep commitment to conserving them for future generations.”
According to the nonprofit, the young foul was born as a part of a breeding recommendation through AZA’s Prezwalski horse Species Survival Plan, which is a program that ensures genetic diversity is represented among Prezwalski’s horse populations.
These species have survived for the past 40 years almost entirely in zoos throughout the world, and nearly all surviving horses are related to 12 Przewalski’s horses born in native habitats.
San Diego Wildlife Alliance officials said ongoing reintroductions of Przewalski’s horses into their native habitats have established several herds in grasslands in China and Mongolia to maintain genetic variation, however, scientists believe more work needs to be done to ensure the species' future survival.
