Evolving in the cold plateaus of Central Asia, the Przewalski breed (or Prjevalski) is the oldest population of horses living in the wild. Decimated by man, the equine owes its survival to reintroduction programs. But even today, this mythical species remains threatened with extinction.
66 chromosomes for Przewalski's horse
Przewalski's horse (Equus Ferus Przewalski) has a massive body and head, a strong neck, a dark mullet stripe on the spine, and a brushed black mane. Among other peculiarities, the animal is distinguished by an absence of a toupet on the forehead. Its coat is bai color (sand or orange) at the back, white on the belly and the tip of the chamfer, and black at the level of the legs, tail, nostrils, and mouth. Also called takh by the Mongols, the equine measures from 1.20 to 1.40 m at the withers and weighs between 240 and 300 kg. With 66 chromosomes, it is not the ancestor of the domestic horse, which has only 64 chromosomes. The lifespan of Przewalski's horse is 25 years.
Przewalski's horse: back to the wild
In 1879, the Russian explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky discovered representatives of the species in Mongolia, in the mountains of Dzungaria, on the edge of the Gobi Desert. Considered the last wild horse in the world, the animal immediately passed to posterity. In 2018, DNA tests established that in reality, the equine had as its ancestor the first horse domesticated 5500 years earlier by the Botai people, in northern Kazakhstan. The Przewalski breed would therefore be a feral species, that is to say, become wild again after being domesticated.
From Mongolia to the Lascaux Caves
It should be noted that 20,000 years ago, Europeans rubbed shoulders with an equine resembling Przewalski's horse, as evidenced by the cave paintings discovered in particular in France, in the Paleolithic caves of Périgord (Lascaux), the Pyrenees and the Cantabrian Mountains. Scientists do not establish a link between Mongolian and European individuals and attribute these strong similarities to a similar natural habitat, characterized by a cold climate and exclusively grassy food. Przewalski's brush mane and mullet ray are indeed common characteristics of many wild equids.
The disappearance of Przewalski's horse
Already small in 1879, the numbers of Przewalski's horses were further reduced after their discovery by the Russian explorer. Men have indeed sought to domesticate these fiery animals deemed impossible to ride. At the same time, as news of their existence spread, many European zoos and private parks wanted to acquire specimens. From 1897, expeditions were conducted to capture foals with methods whose brutality generated the death of many individuals. Another cause of the decline is hunting for meat, an ancestral practice among Mongolians who live in a hostile environment and harsh conditions. Victim of hunter's catches, and overgrazing, the animal almost disappeared in the sixties: the last specimen – a stallion – was observed in 1969 in the Gobi desert. Since then, no other individual has been seen again despite numerous searches. The species was then declared extinct in the wild.
The rescue of Przewalski's horse
When its extinction in the wild is announced, safeguarding measures are implemented. After capture, individuals are welcomed into zoos to begin a captive breeding program. Coming from 12 founding members and 4 domestic horses, the captive population is inbred and hybridized. Nevertheless, its primitive characteristics and genetic peculiarity of 66 chromosomes have been preserved. But before releasing the equines into the wild, it was imperative to ensure the good cohesion of the group and its adaptation to arid regions and harsh climatic conditions. This is why many semi-freedom farms, especially in France, prepare Przewalski's horse for the environment that will once be returned to the wild.
Przewalski's horse: a fragile population
Today, Przewalski's horse lives in the steppes and arid plateaus of Central Asia where this herbivorous species finds its food. In the last count of 2018, scientists confirmed the presence of herds in Mongolia, China, Ukraine, and Belarus, especially at the Chernobyl site where they were introduced after the nuclear disaster. Gregarious, Przewalski's horse forms small family tribes consisting of an adult stallion, one to three mares, and their offspring until sexual maturity. Young males are groups of unmarried stallions, a common social organization among equines. Within their community, animals respect a hierarchy and physical distance between them. But in all circumstances, each individual remains in the field of vision of the herd to collectively face a possible predator. Even today, the population status of Przewalski's horse remains precarious and the species is still considered endangered.
A wild horse?
Russian explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky discovered this small wild horse in the mountains near the Gobi Desert in Mongolia in 1879. From then on, the horse, named in honor of Prjevalski, became known in the world as the last wild horse. Indeed, all the species we know today were domesticated and were born from farms.
But in 2018, a scientific study revolutionized this image of the Prjevalski's horse (or Przewalski): DNA tests confirmed that Prjevalski's horse was in fact an ancestor of the first horse domesticated, 5,500 years ago by the Botai in northern Kazakhstan. Przewalski's horse would therefore have become wild again, after being domesticated.
That said, interest in this horse has not waned since this discovery, since the Przewalski remains the oldest horse species living in the wild. Moreover, this horse is very similar to the paintings found in the Paleolithic caves of France.
With its 1.30 m height, its imposing white snout, and its winter fur, the Prezwalski horse does not resemble other domesticated species; It is also closer to the zebra.
A species in danger of extinction
Following the discovery of Nikolai Przhevalsky, breeders and hunters rushed to Mongolia and China, where the herds of wild horses were located. Until then, it was thought that there were no longer entirely wild horses: this news quickly went around the world, endangering Przewalski's horse.
Many animals were captured, and others were killed. Sent to zoos around the world, not all foals survived. The last wild horse was sighted in 1969 in Mongolia when the species was classified as extinguished in the wild.
Since then, breeding and reintegration programs have saved the species. They would be about 2000 today in breeding or in zoos, and 400 released in the wild. The species remains threatened, however, mainly because of a lack of genetic diversity. Indeed, all Przewalski's horses today are the descendants of only 12 horses!
This horse, also called in Mongolian the takh, was released in Mongolia, France, Belgium, Spain, China, and Ukraine (in Chernobyl!) Uzbekistan also has a large reserve of Przewalski's horses. Conservation efforts continue, and in 2013, the first horse of this species was even born from artificial insemination!
Nicolai Przhevalsky in Kyrgyzstan
The great Russian explorer who gave his name to this legendary horse left many marks in Kyrgyzstan. Of Polish origin, Nikolai Przhevalsky (1839-1888) traveled to Central Asia as a geographer and explorer for the Imperial Russian Army. He traveled to many previously isolated and unknown areas of Europe but was never able to reach his goal, Lhasa, in Tibet.
Przhevalsky spent a lot of time in Kyrgyzstan, a land he loved very much and took for his homeland. Moreover, it was the first Kyrgyz who told him about this wild horse (kurtage in Kyrgyz) and showed the skin of one of the animals, before he saw it with his own eyes in Mongolia.
After several visits to Kyrgyzstan, Nikolai Przhevalsky died near Karakol of typhoid, a disease he caught in the mountains. He was buried, as requested, in Karakol, near Lake Issyk Kul. Moreover, this city has long borne his name. Nowadays you will find a museum dedicated to the travels of the great explorer, in which you can admire his drawings of Przewalski's famous horse.
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