Newborn Przewalski’s horse foal with mother.
Image Credit: Kanat Batyrkhanuly / ACBK / Flora and Fauna
The birth of a Przewalski’s horse for the first time in more than 200 years in central Kazakhstan makes history. The foal was born on August 22, 2026, at the Alibi Reintroduction Centre in the Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve and is male.
There is a lot of confusion when it comes to Przewalski’s horse because it is considered the only true wild horse in the world, as it has never undergone domestication like other horses.
The species vanished from the wild in the last century when the final wild population of the species went extinct in the late 1960s because of hunting, habitat destruction and competition with domesticated animals.
This foal is the first baby of the Przewalski’s horses that have been returned to Kazakhstan under the international reintroduction project. The reestablishment process began in 2024 after a period of two centuries during which no Przewalski’s horse had been seen in Kazakhstan.
Tessa, the mother of this young horse, was brought to Kazakhstan as part of the first group, and Zorro was brought from a breeding programme based at Prague Zoo in the Czech Republic. They were able to reproduce after being brought to Kazakhstan and the foal was born. Tessa and her foal are considered to be healthy by conservationists.
The foal was able to walk and nurse shortly after being born, and at present, Tessa and her foal are under close observation by conservationists. This is a very important event because reproduction is one of the foremost steps towards successfully creating a self-sustaining population.
The goal of the Return of the Wild Horses project is to create a self-sustaining population of this species that can live and breed naturally in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, the project is essential in the context of restoring the natural ecosystems of the region.
As a large herbivore, Przewalski’s horse could contribute to restoring the ecosystem naturally. Thus, the birth of one little horse is very important not only because of this particular animal but also because it demonstrates that even a species that was once lost in the wild has a chance to survive again in the region.
Reference:
Fauna & Flora. (2026, August 26). Celebrating Kazakhstan’s first wild-born Przewalski’s horse in 200 years. Fauna & Flora article
