All information about the przewalski's horse

The przewalski's horse

The przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) is a mammal and already existed in prehistoric times (about 10,000 years ago). With this, the Przewalski horse is considered a kind of primeval horse and ancestor of today's known horse breeds.

Now it seems like the Przewalski horse has been around for a very long time but its ancestor originated some 50 million years ago! That was the Eohippus. This one was also called the "dawn horse" and lived in the forest. It was barely bigger than a dog and even had four toes per leg! The horse species that came from the Eohippus evolved went to live on the open plains. Thus, the physique of the animal changed. The horse species grew larger and larger and had fewer toes. Eventually they were left with only one toe, and it is also better known as the hoof of our current well-known horse breeds!

Is the Przewalski horse extinct?

The Przewalski horse was discovered on a steppe in Mongolia. At that time there were only a few herds of these animals left in the wild. The habitat of the Przewalski horses became smaller and smaller, and the animals were hunted for meat. This caused the Przewalski horse to become extinct in the wild by 1968. Fortunately, some of these horses still lived in zoos. These parks brought the animals together, preserving the species. This succeeded so well that there were enough Przewalski horses and they could be released back into the wild in Mongolia and China. Consequently, the status of the Przewalski horse changed to "endangered. Now there are an estimated 178 adult horses living in the wild.

The role of zoos is to preserve and protect of endangered species. European parks work closely together to achieve this goal and do so with an management program (EEP). For example, przewalski horses have been reintroduced into the wild. Recently, a mare from Beekse Bergen was also selected. In the video below we tell you more about it. More about species conservation and our role discover here.

Conservation

Not only przewalski horses, but many of the species you see in our park are endangered and struggling in their original habitats. Did you know that worldwide more than 4000 animal species threatened with extinction are endangered? Together we can help them, with big, or small steps. Want to know how? Then click here.

What is the Przewalski horse's habitat?

The Przewalski horse lives on open steppes and semi-deserts in western Mongolia and northwestern China. During the Ice Age, the horses were probably even found throughout Europe! This is reflected in the many cave drawings that had features of the przewalski horses found in France and Spain, among others. After the species became extinct in the wild, the animals were reintroduced to Mongolia.

Przewalski horses also live in winter on the large increasingly barren grassy plains. They are well adapted to life in these extreme areas. For example, the animals have good stamina and can regulate their heart rate and body temperature. Przewalski horses live in areas where it can get very cold, but also very hot.

Where does the name Przewalski horse come from?

Russian general Nikolai Przewalski first discovered the animal in 1878 and named it after his last name. Przewalski is a difficult word and, as a result, is often used in the Groot Dictee der Nederlandse Taal. Not only is the word itself difficult, but also the pronunciation of the word. You pronounce it as "prezjwalski horse.

The Przewalski horse in the Netherlands

When the Przewalski horse was almost completely extinct, a number of animals were brought to the Netherlands. These animals were released into Lelystad Nature Park. The animals reproduced, became feral and formed several herds. Eventually, many of these animals were returned to their original habitat in Mongolia. Meanwhile, Przewalski horses are no longer bred in the nature reserve in Flevoland and the herd here is getting smaller and smaller.

What does a Przewalski horse look like?

The Przewalski horse has a short neck, large head, short legs and a stout body. They have a black, upright mane and a reddish-brown to cream-colored coat with a black stripe across their back. This stripe is also called an "eel stripe. The lower legs are black in color and they have a white muzzle. Unlike our current horse species, the Przewalski horse also does not have a lock of hair across the forehead. Another characteristic by which you can tell that the Przewalski horse is a wild species is the short pieces of hair at the top of the tail. The animal's weight varies between 200 and 350 pounds and they can grow between 120 and 145 centimeters tall. They live to be approximately between 25 and 30 years old.

What does a Przewalski horse eat?

The Przewalski horse is a true grazer. On the steppes where they used to live, hard and dry grasses grew. The animal's molars are well adapted to eating this grass. The molars have sharp ridges and are very high. Thus, the molars wear out less quickly. The hard grasses contain few nutrients so the Przewalski horses eat a lot to still gather enough energy. Consequently, Przewalski horses spend more than half of their day eating.

How does a Przewalski horse live?

The herds in which Przewalski horses live are called harems. A harem consists of a dominant male, three to six females and the young. The young of the Przewalski horse is called a foal. After a gestation period of about 11 to 12 months, one foal is born. The foal can follow its mother fairly soon after birth and continues to drink with its mother until it is about a year old. The male foals are chased out of the harem when they mature, forming a bachelor group. After a few years, the harem is taken over by a younger, stronger male.