One often hears that another species of animals has disappeared without a trace in the world. This happens due to human intervention in natural habitat conditions, as well as due to large-scale destruction by poachers. In addition, representatives exotic species popular on the black market for animals. But our story has a good ending - a hundred years ago, Przewalski's horse was on the verge of extinction, and today this species is gradually increasing its population and the prognosis for its revival is quite favorable.

This type of horse was discovered by a Russian explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky in 1878, during his journey through the Kazakh steppes to the unconquered peaks of Tibet. While on the border with China, the scientist received as a gift from his friend the remains of a horse, which he immediately transported to St. Petersburg for research at the Zoological Museum. His guess was confirmed: zoologists discovered that the skin and skull of the animal belonged to a species of wild horses previously unknown to science. Later they were named after the discoverer.

Did you know? In the late 1990s, several dozen representatives of Przewalski's horses were brought to abandoned territories in the vicinity of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Apparently, the distance from humans and untouched fields of fresh grass came to their liking - after a couple of years the number of horses increased to a hundred heads.

About Przewalski's horse: description

Przewalski's horse has a strong, squat croup with well-developed muscles. The head is large, with small eyes and movable pointed ears. The thick neck merges smoothly into a wide chest, the legs are short and strong. The height at the withers rarely exceeds one and a half meters, the body length is 2 meters. The coat is light brown, sandy in color, and there is a dark stripe along the back. The tail and mane always have a dark color, the legs are also dark, sometimes they can appear on them light stripes... This color allows horses to perfectly camouflage among the tall grasses and bushes of the steppe zone. The mane is short, without bangs; the tail is long, but begins to fluff closer to the middle. The large head, short mane and unusual tail suggest that Przewalski's horse has wild donkeys among its ancestors, but this is not so.

It is interesting to get acquainted with horse breeds: Trakehner, Karachaev, Shire, Orlov trotter, Frisian, Appaloosa, Tinker, as well as the subspecies of ponies and the mini-horse Falabella.

Przewalski's horses lead a social lifestyle - they unite in families consisting of a stallion, 3-5 mares and their foals. The stallion vigilantly watches over all members of the family, and also looks out for predators in the path of his herd. These animals have excellent scent, hearing and vision, which helps them to sense danger in advance. In search of new pastures and safe places for watering, the herd travels tens of kilometers every day, making short stops for eating and resting. At this time, the stallion vigilantly watches all members of his family in order to repulse predators in case of danger.
In the spring, the mating games begin with the horses. Pregnancy of a female lasts 11-12 months - a mare always gives birth to one foal, which she feeds with her milk for up to 1 year. Sexual maturity in males begins at 4-5 years, and in females at 3-4 years. After reaching sexual maturity, the young foal is expelled from the herd and together with other males forms a new herd, which begins to roam independently in the steppe.

The behavior of mares in case of danger is curious - the females stand in a circle in which the young are placed. No predator can break through such an obstacle.

Important! Attempts to cross the descendants of wild horses with hybrids of various breeds always ended in the appearance of sterile offspring. Only crossing with domestic horse gave prolific offspring.

Przewalski's horse: habitat

Przewalski's horse has a very limited range... In natural conditions, wild horses could be found in the steppes and semi-deserts of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Western and Southern Siberia, Kashgar and Dzungaria. In addition to these territories, their small herds were found on the shores of Lake Zaisyan and in Transbaikalia.

In nature

They were last seen in the wild in 1969. Hiding from humans and wandering in search of new pastures, Przewalski's horses traveled a long way until they reached the territory of the Dzungarian Gobi and Eastern Altai. In this semi-desert region, among sandy hills and shallow ravines, they managed to hide from wolves and other predators for a long time.
But, despite the attempt to develop new territories, their numbers were rapidly falling. Scientists sounded the alarm and, starting in 1970, numerous attempts were made to revive the population of wild horses.

Did you know? Przewalski's horses have been in the Askania-Nova nature reserve for almost two centuries, and during this time 13 generations have grown. I wonder what during their stay there appearance horses have changed a lot - the mares have become thicker, their hair has become more shiny, their hooves have increased, and their teeth, on the contrary, have decreased in size.

In reserves

Since the 1990s, large-scale programs have been carried out to reintroduce them (returning wild animals to their natural habitats). It was decided to start the revival of the population in the area familiar to the Przewalski horses - in the steppe expanses of Mongolia. At the moment, three large reintroduction centers have been created in this country, in which three herds live, with an approximate number of 400 heads. Similar centers were also established on the territories of reserves in the following countries: China, Hungary, Ukraine, France and Russia.

Food

Przewalski's horses feed on feather grass, wormwood, saxaul, moss, fescue and other herbaceous plants and shrubs growing in the steppes. IN winter time years, when it is not so easy to get food from under the snow crust, the front hooves come to the rescue - they dig up a snowdrift with them and nibble the grass. Depending on their habitat, they easily adapt to changes in their diet.

Important! The main reasons for the rapid decline in the population of horses are their inability to quickly adapt to changes in the environment, as well as regular extermination by wolves and humans.

Health and longevity

Modern representatives of this species cannot boast of excellent health. The reason for this is closely related inbreeding, in other words, the crossing of animals that are closely related. But it will not be possible to restore the population in another way - all the Przewalski's horses that exist today come from 11 wild horses and 1 home.
Restrictions on freedom of movement also weakened them immune system- once leading a nomadic lifestyle, horses have ceased to travel tens of kilometers every day in search of food and better conditions.

Their average life expectancy is 20-25 years. It is believed that pedigree horses survive up to this age with proper care and good nutrition.

Przewalski's horse is an endangered species. These animals are unique and are the last of the wild horses. That is why the horses are under the protection of nature conservationists around the world. What are the features of wild animals, why are they on the verge of extinction, and others Interesting Facts you can learn about Przewalski's horse from the above article.

Przhevalsky's horse got its name in honor of the naturalist and traveler Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky. Going on an expedition to Tibet in 1879, the researcher had already heard a lot about local wild horses. For political reasons, the scientist did not manage to carry out everything he had planned on the trip, but upon returning to his homeland, he described the new kind wild Mongolian horse.

Downsizing

Reasons for extermination:

1. A sharp change in weather conditions (increased frost in winter and a decrease in precipitation in summer) since 1945 has significantly reduced the number of animals.
2. Hunting local residents caused even more damage.
3. Wolves are the natural enemies of horses. An adult may well fight off a predator, but a weakened animal is an easy prey.

Already in 1970, these animals were absent in their natural environment. Przewalski's horse is inscribed in the Red Book of the Russian Federation and in the International Red Book.

Also, the animal is protected by the Convention in charge of trade in specially protected animals. The breed has survived only thanks to the activities of wildlife sanctuaries and zoos. Today, there are about two and a half thousand Przewalski's horses all over the world. In 2011, in Russia (Orenburg region), a project was launched to introduce Przewalski's horses into the wild.

Characteristics of the species

Distinctive features of the Przewalski horse from domestic horses:

• The mane is composed of short, coarse hair;
• Long wool;
• Large head;
• Long hair only covers the lower part of the tail;
• No bangs.

Small size is characteristic of animals of this species:

• Height - 130 cm;
• Weight - 300 kg.

Przewalski's horse has a savras color (light red). The tail, mane and legs are black with a brown tint, on the back there is a dark belt. In winter, the coat becomes lighter and thicker.

Distribution area

Initially, the animals lived in the European steppes and semi-deserts, as well as in the territories of Kazakhstan, Tibet, Mongolia. Modern representatives of the species are kept in reserves and zoos around the world. On the territory of Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan and Russia, there are wild-living populations released into nature under the reintroduction program.

Lifestyle

Horses are grouped into small families with one stallion and several mares. Up to 2-3 years old offspring live in the family. For long-distance travel, families can unite in herds. There are also herds of lonely and old stallions.

In search of food, animals are forced to be constantly on the move. The diet of wild equids consists of steppe grasses and stunted plants. In winter, horses are able to scrape snow with their hooves to get to food. In summer, during the intense heat, the herd stops and continues the procession in the morning or at night.

The mares sleep while standing, and the horses guard the family all the time and practically do not rest.

Przewalski's horses form a semicircle in order to warm sick and young individuals with their breath or to protect themselves from wolves. Clever animals are able to hit a predator with their hooves and drive away annoying flies by twisting their tails.

The life span of a Przewalski horse is 20-25 years.

Reproduction

The mares are characterized by a monthly rut. But mating occurs once a year in the spring. After 11 months, a foal is born.

The cub is born sighted, he is able to walk almost immediately. For the first six months of life, the foal's source of nutrition is mare's milk, then the young animal has teeth, and it switches to green food. The leader drives the one-year-old stallion out of the herd, and the young horse unites with other lonely stallions in herds. Upon reaching 3 years of age, a horse can create its own family by conquering mares. Mares stay with their mother longer.

Stallions of the breed are very jealous and can even start a fight with a rival, using their hooves.

1. Przewalski's horse is the last surviving wild species.
2. The animal is the progenitor of domestic horses.
3. The representatives of this breed have excellent eyesight, the stallion can often be found exploring the surroundings.
4. Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky never once sat on a horse named in his honor.
5. Modern horses are the ancestors of a dog-sized forest animal.
6. Today, zoologists get interesting hybrids by crossing the remaining representatives of the Przewalski horse with domestic breeds.

Another practically extinct, and miraculously saved by members of the Society for the Protection of Animals, a species of Przewalski's wild horse. It is considered the only wild horse living on our planet today. So, today the Red Book and Przewalski's horse

Distant relatives of this species can be safely called the tarpan horse, which has not survived by this time. Another relative is the Asian donkey - kulun. Przewalski's horse is a rather large animal, reaching up to 350 kg in weight.

Przewalski's horse is the most primitive horse, with a muscular body and a large head. In all its appearance there is a certain resemblance to a donkey. It differs from a domestic horse only in a standing mane and the absence of a bang. The color of the coat has a smooth transition from red to lighter on the belly, but the mane and tail are black. This species lives in the continental belt, where the air temperature can drop to -35. A thick and warm coat saves her from hypothermia, but in the summer molt occurs, and Przewalski's horse noticeably “undresses”.

The discoverer of this species, Nikolai Przhevalsky, discovered this horse only in 1879. Due to their isolated way of life, both from other animals and from people, no one knew about their existence in nature. The nomads of Mongolia, in the Gobi Desert, periodically met herds of these horses, but did not give them habitation of great importance... Przewalski's horses are very hardy and completely unpretentious. Their herd of 5 to 12 heads follows an experienced leader. Which guides them through the terrain in search of steppe grasses and shrubs, used by these horses as their main diet, as well as water. In case of danger or need, they can go to a gallop and develop a speed of up to 60 km / h. In a calm atmosphere, they choose a leisurely step for movement.

Listen to the voice of Przewalski's horse

The mating season begins in the spring. Stallions are distinguished by noble jealousy, and can attack an opponent, standing on their hind legs and striving to hit him with a hoof. Pregnancy lasts 11 months. And after birth, the foal calmly follows the mother after a few hours. She feeds her cub with milk for about 6 months. And after three years, he becomes completely independent and adult.

Most of all, Przewalski's horse fears the wolf. This is the only enemy for this species. tries to separate from the herd either a female with a foal, or a weak one. But Przewalski's horses have developed their own kind of defense, which they successfully use in order to repel the attack of wolves. They gather in a circle, put young growth inside, and outside experienced and strong horses. Hiding their heads inside a circle, they expose their powerful hind hooves, and when using such a formidable weapon, they can even kill a wolf.

The displacement of these horses from their habitat began with the population of the steppes - people who grazed their herds, and gradually food supplies became scarce, which put this horse species on the brink of extinction. Only thanks to the preservation of this species in zoos, it was possible to preserve and increase the population of Przewalski's horses. Now most of these animals live in the Khustan-Nuru nature reserve, which is located in Mongolia.

intermediate ranks

International scientific name

Equus ferus przewalskii Poliakov,

Area Conservation status

Taxonomy on Wikisource

Images at Wikimedia Commons

History Przhevalsky's horse was discovered by Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky in Central Asia, in the vicinity of Lake Lob-Nor. Przewalski's horse differs from the domestic horse in a short, standing mane, a larger head, long and warm hair, a tail covered with long hair only on the lower half, and the absence of a bang. The color is sandy-red, turning into light gray on the underside, the end of the muzzle is almost white, the mane is brown, there is no dark stripe on the back; the base of the tail is the same color as the back; the end is dark brown; the coat is long and wavy. For a long time, these horses were considered the ancestors of domestic horses, but then it turned out that Przewalski's horse was different from domestic. The height at the withers is from 120 to 136 cm. The color is close to savras: the color of the coat is reddish-yellow, the tail, mane and “stockings” on the legs are brown-black. There is a dark belt on the back, and zebra stripes on the legs. The tail of Przewalski's horse differs from the tail of a domestic horse in that shorter hair grows in its upper part (it is, as it were, closer to the tail of a donkey or kiang). In nature There are about two thousand individuals in the world, and this entire population comes from several animals captured at the beginning of the 20th century in Dzungaria. The descendants of those horses have been bred for generations in captivity, in zoos and reserves around the world. The pedigree book of Przewalski's horses is kept by the Prague Zoo. In the USSR, a large number of Przewalski's horses were kept in Askania Nova in Ukraine. Before the revolution, it was the owner of Askania Nova, F.E. Falz-Fein, who organized expeditions to capture Przewalski's horses in Dzungaria. Extremely limited source gene pool modern horses Przewalski creates serious problems in their breeding: the inevitable constant inbreeding (closely related crosses) affects the viability of horses and the ability to reproduce. Not the best effect on horses and keeping in captivity: in nature, wild horses were in constant motion, passing during the day for many kilometers. Since 1992, programs for the reintroduction (return to the wild) of Przewalski's horses have been launched in Mongolia (Khustan-Nuru National Park) and China (Takhin-Tal National Park). These wild-living populations number about two hundred individuals. In the early 1990s, as an experiment, several horses were released into the Ukrainian exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, where they began to actively breed. Now there are about a hundred of them, 3 herds. Earlier, these wild horses were widespread in the forest-steppes, steppes and semi-deserts of Europe, the steppes and partly the forest-steppes of Kazakhstan and the south of Western Siberia to the east to the Barabinsk and pre-Altai steppes, the Salair ridge and Lake Zaisan, in addition, there was a habitat in Transbaikalia. Taxonomy There were three subspecies of Przewalski's horse: forest tarpan, steppe tarpan and the Przewalski horse itself. During the cold winters, Przewalski's horses developed a rather interesting way of heating: the horses lined up in a circle, drove foals and sick foals into the middle and warmed them with their breath. They defended themselves in about the same way from annoying flies: standing in a circle, head first, they began to twirl their tails and drive away insects. Description The body length of a Przewalski horse reaches 200 cm, at the withers on average 130 cm.Weight reaches 300 - 350 kg. The Przewalski horse has a large and massive head, on the sides of which there are large dark eyes, providing good overview... The ears are very sensitive and mobile, due to which Przewalski's horse has excellent hearing. Wide nostrils give an excellent sense of smell. The mane is short, black and stiff with missing bangs. The croup is not very massive. The chest and bump are wider. The horse's legs are short, but hardy and strong. The tail is always black and thick, hanging almost to the ground. The color of the animal is golden brown. The belly and muzzle are much lighter, almost white. And the mane, periofoids and tail are invariably black. A strip of black hairs stretches along the back. Lifestyle Przewalski's horses lead a herd lifestyle. They form small herds, headed by strong adult stallions, as well as a few mares and foals. The leader's power is absolute: only he chooses places for watering or feeding, the direction of the path, etc. Horses graze most of the day, but prefer evening twilight or morning. During the day they rest, trying to choose a place on the dais for better view surroundings, since representatives of this species are distinguished by good eyesight, scent and hearing. During rest, mares usually doze while standing, and the stallion looks around the surroundings in order to notice possible danger as early as possible and warn the rest with an alarm signal. During sleep, horses gather in a circle with their heads inward; foals are placed inside the circle for their safety. If the predator tries to attack the herd, then it will be greeted by the smashing blows of the hind hooves. In Mongolia, Przewalski's horse is called takhi. see also Notes (edit) Literature A quantitative assessment of the nutrition of the semi-free group of Przewalski's horse ( Equus przewalskii) in the steppe habitat (reserve "Askania-Nova") / M. K. Pozdnyakova [et al.] // Zoological journal. -. - T. 90, N 3. - S. 368-376. Categories: Endangered species Animals alphabetically Probably extinct species of Russia Horses Animals described in 1881 Taxa named after Nikolai Przhevalsky Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Molodechno Blues for Greeny (album) See what "Przewalski's Horse" is in other dictionaries: Przewalski's horse- Przewalski's horse. PRZEWALSKY HORSE, wild horse. The body is about 2.3 m long, the height at the withers is about 1.3 m. Discovered in 1878 in Central Asia by N.M. Przhevalsky. She lived in the deserts of Dzungaria, in the same place in 1968 she was seen (in natural conditions) ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary Przewalski's horse- Equus przewalskli see also 7.1.1. Horse Genus Equus Przewalski's Horse Equus przewalskli A yellowish horse, large-headed, with a standing mane without bangs, with a dark belt along the back. In the past, she lived in the steppes of southern Siberia. She also… … Animals of Russia. Directory Przewalski's horse- Przewalski's horse. Przewalski's horse (Equus przewalskii), an equid-hoofed animal of the horse genus. The only wild species of real horses that has survived to this day. Discovered by N.M. Przhevalsky (1878) in Central Asia. L. P. small-sized ... ... Agriculture. Big encyclopedic dictionary PRZEWALSKI'S HORSE- equid-hoofed animal of the genus of horses. Body length approx. 2.3 m, height at withers approx. 1.3 m. Opened in 1878 in the Center. Asia N.M. Przhevalsky. It was widespread, but by the end. 19th century survived only for southwest Mongolia, where in 1968 she was seen (in ... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary PRZEWALSKI'S HORSE- (E. caballus Przewalskii), wild leaf, discovered in the 19th century. during the expedition N.M. Przhevalsky to Mongolia. In the present. time was preserved, obviously, only in captivity. It has a large head, a short, thick neck, and a poorly defined withers. Height at withers approx ... Horse breeding guide PRZEWALSKI'S HORSE- (Equus przewalskii), a kind of horses; sometimes considered a subspecies of tarpan. Body length up to 230 cm, height. at the withers up to 130 cm, weight up to 300 kg; females are smaller. The body color is pale yellow or reddish yellow, along the ridge there is a narrow dark stripe ("belt"), belly and end ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary Przewalski's horse- equid-hoofed animal of the genus of horses. The body is about 2.3 m long, the height at the withers is about 1.3 m. Discovered in 1878 in Central Asia by N.M. Przhevalsky. It was widespread, but by the end of the 19th century. survived only in the southwest of Mongolia, where in 1968 it ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

The horse is named after Nikolai Przhevalsky (1839 - 1888), a Russian colonel who was a researcher and naturalist who first described the horse in 1879 after he was on an expedition in search of this species, because he had heard many rumors about its origin. However, the Przewalski horse was described in 1881 as a new species in science by the Russian zoologist I.S. Polyakov.

History of appearance

Przewalski's horse was discovered by him in Tibet, exactly when Nikolai Mikhailovich was on the expedition. Przhevalsky was not very happy in Tibet, so he needed to return, back to Russia. It was when he returned to Russia that he described a new species of horse for science, which he discovered. Namely, Przewalski's horses.

The systematic position of the horse has always been problematic and there is no consensus on this whether it is a subspecies of wild horses, full view or even a subset of the domestic horse.

Such an amazingly beautiful and dignified animal as the Przewalski horse breed is distinguished from an ordinary domestic horse by a short, standing mane, as well as a larger and warmer, long coat. Well, the tail, covered with long hair, only on the lower half, also highlights the horses of this breed.

Actually, the lack of bangs also makes them special. The coat is wavy and very long. These horses look spectacular next to any animals and people. For a very long period of time, it was believed that all Przewalski horses are, in fact, the ancestors of ordinary domestic horses.

Herd of Przewalski horses

Their height at the withers ranges from one hundred twenty centimeters to one hundred thirty-six. And the color of such horses is very close to: reddish-yellow fur. The stockings and mane are brown-black, like the tail. And on the back of the animal data, there is a dark belt.

While dozens of zoos around the world have small numbers of Przewalski's horses, there are also specialized reserves dedicated primarily to this species. The world's largest captive breeding program for Przewalski's horses is located in the Askania-Nova Nature Reserve in Ukraine. Several dozen of Przewalski's horses were also released in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant area, which currently serves as a de facto desert reserve.

In Chernobyl, reproduction was reproduced at a high rate, reaching up to 200 individuals, until poachers reduced the number to 60 in last years... As of 2011, it was estimated that only 30-40 individuals remained. An intensive study of the population of free-grazing animals also took place in the Hortobagy National Park in Hungary; data on social structure, behavior and diseases collected from these animals are used to improve the safety of Mongolian horses.

The reintroduction project in China started in 1985 when 11 wild horses were imported from overseas. After more than two decades of effort, a large number of horses have bred at the Wild Horse Breeding Center, of which 55 have been released in the Kalamely Mountain area. The animals quickly adapted to the new conditions. In 1988, six foals were born and survived, and by 2001 there were over 100 horses in the center.

Reintroductions organized in countries Western Europe began in the 1990s. They were stopped mainly for financial reasons. Prague Zoo has started a new cycle of sending horses into the wild, which, with the support of public and many strategic partners, continues today.

Przewalski's horses live mainly in captivity. They are found in zoos in France, America and other countries. Reintroduction projects also exist in Russia, namely in the Orenburg nature reserve, as well as in Kazakhstan.

Savras suit

On the front and always zebra stripes. The tail of a horse is very different from the tail of ordinary animals. Indeed, in the upper part of it, unlike the tails of domestic horses, hair grows, which are shorter. Somehow the tail of the Przewalski horses may resemble the tail of a kiang or a donkey.

DNA studies have been unsuccessful, in part due to the crossing of native horses with the Przewalski horse, and also due to the limited genetic variation present in the general population of the Przewalski horse.

A 2009 molecular study using ancient DNA found in archaeological finds such as bones and teeth classified Przewalski's horse as a domesticated horse.

But DNA analysis in 2011 suggests that Przewalski's horse and the modern local horse diverged about 160,000 years ago.

Photo of the Przewalski horses in the Berlin Zoo

The karyotype of the domestic horse differs from the Przewalski horse by the absence of an additional pair of chromosomes, either due to the cleavage of chromosome 5 in the Przewalski horse or the fusion of chromosomes 23 and 24 in the domestic horse. In comparison, the chromosomal differences between domestic horses and zebras include numerous translocations, fusions, and inversions. Przewalski's horses are known to have the highest diploid number of chromosomes among all species of the equine family. Also, Przewalski's horse can interbreed with a domestic horse and produce fertile offspring (65 chromosomes).

Most "wild" horses today, such as the American Mustang or the Australian Brumby, are actually feral horses that evolved from domesticated animals that escaped and adapted to life in the wild.

The Przewalski horse has never been domesticated and remains the only truly wild breed in the world today. It is one of the three known subspecies of Equus Ferus.

Przewalski's horses live in small family groups, consisting of one to three mares, one adult stallion, their common offspring. The offspring remain in the group until they become independent, this usually happens when they reach two to three years of age. Solitary stallions, and sometimes older stallions, join bachelor groups. Family groups often come together to form a herd and then move together.

Offspring at the Moscow Zoo

According to their regularity Everyday life it can be understood that this behavior is the same as that of the feral horses in the herd. The stallions of the herd rule and protect every member of their family, and the mares, in turn, are often the leaders in the family. Mares and stallions remain with a privileged mate for many years. While behavioral synchronicity is higher among mares, stallions are less stable to this extent.

Horses maintain eye contact with their family and herd at all times, and they have many ways to communicate with each other in their daily lives. Methods like vocalization, odor marking, and a wide range of visual and tactile cues. Every kick, ear tilt, or other contact between horses is a means of communication. This constant bond leads to complex social behavior among Przewalski's horses.