SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A Przewalski's horse, the critically endangered species known as "the last wild horse," was recently born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, according to a press release.
Conservationists at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance say the foal is the first Przewalski's horse born at the Safari Park since 2014. Additionally, it is one of just four of this kind of horse born in North America in the past year.
The Przewalski's horse, which is native to Mongolia, was previously categorized as "Extinct in the Wild" until 1996, according to conservationists.
Kristi Burtis, the wildlife care director at the Safari Park, says more than 157 Przewalski's horses have been born at the Zoo and Safari Park.
“Every birth is a tremendous moment, so we are elated by this new foal,” says Burtis. “They are an important wild horse species, and this new foal, along with each individual that was born at our parks, bolsters their fragile population—and represents our deep commitment to conserving them for future generations.”
The Safari Park says Przewalski's horses have survived for the past 40 years almost entirely in zoos around the world, and nearly all of the surviving horses are related to 12 of them born in native habitats.
Several herds in the grasslands of China and Mongolia have formed thanks to the reintroduction of the species to its original ecosystem.
The foal born at the Safari Park was part of an effort to make sure the species has more genetic diversity, the press release says. Scientists believe more needs to be to maintain the species' survival.
In 2020, a Przewalski's horse was successfully cloned at the Safari Park. The collaborative effort included teams from Revive & Restore, ViaGen Pets & Equine and the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
RELATED: Cloned critically-endangered horse makes public debut at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
A domestic quarter horse acted as Kurt's surrogate mother. He is the clone of a male Przewalski's stallion whose DNA was cryopreserved 42 years ago in the Alliance's Wildlife Biodiversity Bank, the release states.
“Kurt is significant to his species because he offers the hope of bringing back lost genetic diversity to the population,” said Nadine Lamberski, who is the chief conservation and wildlife health officer for the Alliance. “It is imperative to do everything we can to save this genetic diversity before it disappears.”
The public can see the new foal in the Przewalski's horse habitat at the Safari Park, which is next to Kurt's spot in the Central Asia savanna habitat.
