spirits


 

Recent News: https://aeon.co/videos/scientists-brought-a-wild-horse-back-from-extinction-but-is-it-truly-the-same-animal


The turbulent history of the Przewalski’s horse
(Equus ferus ssp przewalskii)

1878 The Russian explorer Nikolai Michailowitsch Przewalski brings the skin and skull of a wild horse, hitherto unknown in the western world, to St. Petersburg. Wild horses were considered to be extinct in Europe after the extinction of the tarpans.

1899-1901  Successful capture campaigns by Hagenbeck and Falz Fein: 52 takhi foals arrive in Europe

1947 Last capture of a Przewalski’s horse: The mare Orlitza III is transported to Askania-Nova (Ukraine) and plays an important role in further breeding.

1940s. The current population of wild horses descended from 13 founder animals, which have successfully reproduced to this day.

1958. The zoologist Erna Mohr establishes the first stud book.
It documents all of the 238 Przewalski’s horses that were kept in zoos between 1899 and 1958.

End of 1960s First exchange of Przewalski’s horses between the zoos of Prague and Munich.


1960s Last sighting of a takhi in the wild (Gun Tamga, Great Gobi B).


1985  Launch of the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) for Przewalski’s horses. At the beginning of the 1990s, the wild horse population exceeds the number of 1,000 animals in human care.


1985.  Evaluation of possible resettlement areas in Mongolia by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).


1991.  Christian Oswald sets up the enclosures at takhin tal.


1992. First transports of Przewalski’s horses from Askania-Nova to Takhin Tal and from Europe to Hustai Nuuru (another resettlement area near Ulanbaatar). 


Evaluation of possible resettlement areas in Mongolia by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).


1992-2004. A total of 89 Przewalski’s horses were transported from
Europe to Takhin tal.


1997.  At Takhin tal, the first wild horses are being released from the acclimatization enclosure into freedom.


1999. Foundation of the International Takhi Group (ITG)
The work of the various organizations is bundled under the first President Jean-Pierre Siegfried.

2006. Construction of the National Park House and research infrastructure.

2007 First transport within Mongolia: Three stallions from Hustai Nuruu are transported into the Great Gobi B.

2010 The cold harsh winter leads to a population decline: only a third (approx. 50 animals) survives.

2012 Four stallions from the Jimsar breeding station in northern China are moved to the Great Gobi B.

2012-2021 Every year, Prague Zoo and the Czech Air Force transport four mares from the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP) to the Takhin tal, guaranteeing a high level of genetic variability.

2017 The Takhi Resettlement Projects in Mongolia celebrate 25 years of resettlement.

2017 At Takhin tal, a population size of 200 takhi is reached.

2020 The habitat of the takhi, the Great Gobi B Strictly Protected Area, is doubled to an area of 18,000 km2.

2020 For the first time, the population size exceeds 300 animals.

historical facts from: Jiri Volf "Das Urwildpferd" ISBN 3 89432 471 6

Film about the beginnings of the resettlement at Takhin tal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tMFyL5PRr0