International Collaboration Behind the Reintroduction of Wild Horses

The Przewalski’s horses that were recently relocated with the involvement of our Zoo are now in Altyn Dala, the “golden steppe” of Kazakhstan. A few weeks ago, we shared a detailed summary of the program and the species itself. Now we would like to focus on the broad international cooperation that made this conservation effort possible.

The story goes back more than fifty years. At that time, several European zoos began to pay special attention to the Przewalski’s horse, the only surviving true wild horse species. Its wild population was already in decline, and soon it disappeared completely from its natural habitat in the grasslands of Mongolia. The Prague Zoo was already playing a leading role in keeping the species and launching an international cooperation to coordinate regional breeding for conservation purposes. As part of this, an international studbook for Przewalski’s horses was established. The initial data were collected and published by the renowned Hamburg-based zoologist Erna Mohr in her 1959 monograph. The Prague Zoo has maintained the studbook ever since, keeping it up to date with current data on the zoo population and new individuals.

Besides maintaining accurate breeding records, a coordinated and well-functioning breeding program was also needed in order to grow the captive population to the point where reintroduction to native habitats could become a real possibility. In addition to the Prague Zoo, the Cologne Zoo also played an important role in the European breeding program.

A key milestone came in 1997, when the Hortobágy National Park Directorate joined the Przewalski’s horse conservation effort. A 3,000-hectare wild horse reserve was established in the Pentezug area, located south of the town of Hortobágy. Today, this area is home to one of the largest groups of Przewalski’s horses kept together in one place. The conditions in Pentezug provide a solid foundation for reintroduced animals to adapt successfully to the Central Asian steppe.

The recent reintroduction to Kazakhstan required the cooperation of many different organizations and institutions. On the European side, the program was coordinated by the Prague Zoo in collaboration with the Frankfurt Zoological Society, Berlin Zoo and Nuremberg Zoo. Important Hungarian partners included the Hortobágy National Park Directorate and the Budapest Zoo. Our Zoo’s veterinary team not only helped with preparations for the recent transport, but also regularly provides veterinary care for the horses in Pentezug. The Czech Air Force assisted with the air transport of the animals.

On the Kazakh side, several partners were also involved. These included the Forestry and Wildlife Committee under the relevant ministry of the Kazakh government, the Altyn Dala Reserve and the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative. The local station, which was created for the reintroduction of herbivores such as kulan and wild horses, is operated by the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK).

This reintroduction program, made possible by broad international collaboration, is a good example of how important global partnerships are in nature conservation and the protection of endangered species. It is therefore not surprising that our Zoo takes part in many regional and international collaborations. We are a founding member of the Hungarian Association of Zoos and Aquaria, an accredited member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.