Endangered horses released into the wild
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China Daily, September 7, 2012
A herd of 21 highly-endangered Przewalski's horses were released into the National Nature Reserve in Dunhuang in Northwest China's Gansu province on Thursday, as part of efforts to replenish the animal's numbers in the wild.
The release follows a successful trial that turned seven horses loose in the same area in 2010.
 |
|
Captive Przewalski's horses are released into nature in Dunhuang, Gansu province, on Thursday. Zhang Yongsheng / for China Daily |
"So far, everything goes well. All the horses have adapted to their new home and none have health problems," said Sun Zhicheng, an official from the nature reserve.
The horses underwent a series of physical examinations when they arrived in Dunhuang on Tuesday after traveling more than 10 hours by road from Wuwei of Gansu, he said.
The Przewalski's horse, with its stocky body and short neck, is the only true living species of wild horse. The rare species, which was once common on the Eurasia continent, was last seen in the wild in 1969. Its dwindling numbers have been blamed on human activity.
At present, there are more than 1,000 Przewalski's horses kept in zoos around the world. In the 1980s, China reintroduced the horse from foreign countries, including the United States and Germany, according to the Gansu Endangered Animal Protection Center under the State Forestry Administration.
In the 1980s the number of captive Przewalski's horses in the center was only 18, there are now 75, including the 21 returned to the wild.
About 300 such horses are now also kept captive in Gansu and the neighboring Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to the center.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)