Rare Przewalski's Horse Foal Born at Bronx Zoo

A rare Przewalski's horse foal, considered the last truly wild horse species, was born on April 21 at the Bronx Zoo, operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society. The unnamed foal is now on view with the zoo's herd as part of the seasonal Wild Asia Monorail exhibit. Przewalski's horses were declared extinct in the wild in the 1960s but have been making a comeback through captive breeding programs. The global captive population now stands at around 2,000 individuals, with reintroductions in China, Mongolia, the Chernobyl exclusion zone, and Kazakhstan. All living Przewalski's horses descend from just 12 individuals, making genetic diversity a major challenge. In 2020 and 2023, clones named Kurt and Ollie were born from frozen DNA to restore lost genetic variations. On May 25, five horses were released into Kazakhstan's Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve, and more are being transported from Prague and Berlin zoos. The species remains endangered.