Przewalski's Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) Fact Sheet: Managed Care

• Animal collectors Baron Friedrich von Falz-Fein, of Askaniya Nova, and first Duke of Bedford, Carl Hagenbeck captured the newly discovered horses for their collections.
• 53 Mongolian wild horses brought to Europe between 1899 and 1902.
• Takhis purchased by Baron Falz-Fein produced 37 offspring.
  • A few were given to western zoos
  • Vast majority remained at Askanya Nova, where they all died during World War II.
• Only 26 animals survived in zoos, and of these only 11 were reproductive.
  • A 12th founder was imported from the wild in 1947.
• Creation of first studbook by Dr. Erna Mohr in 1957 based on her knowledge of animals in Berlin, Hamburg and Halle
  • Studbook published annually after 1958 by Jiri Volf of Prague Zoo.
• 228 animals in managed care between 1899 and 1958
• Breeding programs in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, including Chinese and Mongolian breeding and reintroduction programs.
• More than 130 foals born at San Diego Zoo Safari Park since 1974 (ZIMS 2020)

(Amanda Lussier, personal communication, 2020)

General

• Hardy animals
  • Do well in very cold climates
• Still very wild compared to domestic horses (even in managed care)
• Important to keep hooves and body weight healthy

Shelter

• Large area for roaming/herd movements
• Structures for shade and protection against inclement weather
  • Trees
  • Covered feeders
    • Protect hay from rain
• Grasses for grazing and to prevent erosion on slopes

Diet

• Bermuda hay
  • Other types of hay for enrichment/play
• Grasses
• Browse, such as acacia, in smaller amounts
• Carrots as treats
  • Don’t like apples
• Other treats offered during training

Social interactions

• Very social
  • Complex, dynamic social hierarchy
• Engage in mutual grooming
• Live in herds comparable in size to wild herds

Breeding

• Closely monitored to increase genetic diversity in managed care populations

Enrichment and training

• Environmental enrichment
  • Water, sprinklers, and ice
    • Kick ice cubes
  • Soil for rolling and play
  • Grass for grazing
• Tactile training
  • Brushes and back scratchers used to acclimate horses to human touch
    • Important for hood trimming, health checks, and providing medical care

A Przewalski's horse enjoys ice on a hot day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Native to colder regions of Asia, Przewalski's horses enjoy standing in sprinkler sprays and playing with ice.

Image credit: Photo by Amanda Lussier. © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Kurt, the world’s first cloned Przewalski’s horse.

The foal, born to a domestic surrogate mother, is a clone of a male Przewalski’s horse whose DNA was cryopreserved 40 years ago at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Frozen Zoo®.

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Boyd & Houpt (1994)
Robert (2005)
Wakefield et al. (2006)