06/01/2024
A band of Takhi (Przewalski's) grazing at Paleolitico Vivo in Salguero de Juarros, Burgos (Spain).
The Przewalski's horses are often considered the last truly wild horses left in the world. They were declared as extinct in the wild in the late 1960's.
From very few captive individuals (about 12) the foundation of the Przewalsk's was established. Successful selective breeding led to larger numbers.
Thanks to this, and the inspiring efforts of the conservationists involved, they've been successfully reintroduced to Mongolia and China where they have formed small but stable populations.
Przewalski's are increasingly visible in European rewilding projects too, often alongside other equids. There are now about 2000 Przewalski's horses around the world.
Now it seems, that their title as the last truly wild horse has been challenged by results of genetic studies. In these studies it is suggested that Przewalski's horses are the feral descendants of horses from the Botai culture, where domestication of horses was said to have began. science.org/doi/10.1126/sc…
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