The Last Of The Wild Horse Breeds
By Pineh
•
28th Nov 2010 •
7,184 views
•
8 comments
|
|
Most horse lovers know about mustangs, brumbies, barbs, and all those other wild horse breeds, but not this one, the last true wild horse, the Prezwalski. Let's start at "last true wild horse".
Prezwalski's are the last true wild horse because they've never been domesticated for riding or other purposes. All other wild horses have been domesticated at some point.
Prezwalski's Wild Horses are very different from most other breeds. Their coat color ranges from brown to dun. Their belly and muzzle is either white or a very pale color. Their mane and tail is always dark colored, and the mane is short, so it sticks straight up, just like a mohawk on a person. Their legs are usually striped, their head is large, and the body is short and very muscular. These horses only stand about 13 hands high at the shoulder, which is a little more than four feet. All together, from the head to the tail, they're about 7 feet long, and weigh between 550 and 750 pounds.
Przewalski's horses live in groups called harems that consist of a dominant stallion and many mares. Young stallions form bachelor bands, which is where they stay until they are able to steal mares from dominant stallions and form harems. Males are extremely territorial and battle with other males to win new mares for their harem. Before they became endangered, the Prezwalski's Wild Horse lived all over Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Belarus, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mongolia and China.
The World Conservation's Red List of threatened species listed them as extinct in the wild until 2008. Now they are classified as critically endangered. There are currently around 1,500 of them remaining in zoos and breeding centers. They became endangered in the first place because of hunting, harsh climate, loss of habitat, and loss of water sources to farm animals. Now, I know what you're thinking, "Who whould ever want to hunt horses?" To get the answer, you have to know lots about this horse's anatomy.
The unique characteristics of the horse made it particularly valuable to hunters. The horse would eat grass, and the chlorophyll would release from the chloroplasts inside their mouths, creating a thick green mucus stored in the back of their throats. Yuck, right? Hunters would kill the horses for the mucus, as it was thought to cure a sickness, which resulted the rapid population decline of this horse. That's still no reason to go crazy and take the lives of as many Prezwalski's wild horses as you can! Now look what they've done to the breed! If I was sick with whatever this disease was, I would rather die than have sombody kill a beautiful horse.
Recently, the National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center and other programs help mantain breeding populations. Their efforts have allowed nearly 400 horses to be released back into Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan. |
|
|
|
Nov 28, 2010
• 5,564 views
|
|
|
|
Undesired Humor
I saw them in the Washington DC zoo once. Yes, most people don't know about the adorable creatures! I was lucky and was able to have the trerat of seeing a newborn stand up and run around for the first time.
I saw them in the Washington DC zoo once. Yes, most people don't know about the adorable creatures! I was lucky and was able to have the trerat of seeing a newborn stand up and run around for the first time.
|
Nov 28, 2010
• 5,558 views
|
|
|
|
Eire
They are actually not wild, they are feral like Mustangs and Brumbies.
They went nearly extinct, and were extinct in the wild, but then they were bred and released to the wild.
They are actually not wild, they are feral like Mustangs and Brumbies.
They went nearly extinct, and were extinct in the wild, but then they were bred and released to the wild.
|
Nov 28, 2010
• 6,065 views
|
|
|
|
Run Free
i saw a documentary on them before they are sooooooo beautiful and strong creatures and i agree i would rather die than have someone kill a prezwalski i hope we will still see them in the future it would be terrible if they became extinct
i saw a documentary on them before they are sooooooo beautiful and strong creatures and i agree i would rather die than have someone kill a prezwalski i hope we will still see them in the future it would be terrible if they became extinct
|
Nov 28, 2010
• 5,552 views
|
|
|
|
Velski
My name was actually my first attempt at spelling Prezwalski. I love the breed, and always will. I was working on an article, but you beat me to it. I'm sort of glad, you did a good job!
My name was actually my first attempt at spelling Prezwalski. I love the breed, and always will. I was working on an article, but you beat me to it. I'm sort of glad, you did a good job!
|
Nov 28, 2010
• 5,549 views
|
|
|
|
Pineh
First of all, this is my 1st new submission and i'm SO HAPPY that it got in!
Thanks Jeff!
HorseHero: Yes, they are. They're my fav breeds, and i breed them at my barn on morgan server
218 Curly Stud: I've never seen one in person, but really want to.
Fawny of Nokota: They are true wild horses. They are not feral
Buddy's Angel: Yes, their story is a sad one, but populations are growing thanks to releases! :D
Pervelski: Sorry i took your idea, and i thought your name sounded like Prezwalski, and i've always wondered where it came from. Well, now i know!
:)
First of all, this is my 1st new submission and i'm SO HAPPY that it got in!
Thanks Jeff!
HorseHero: Yes, they are. They're my fav breeds, and i breed them at my barn on morgan server
218 Curly Stud: I've never seen one in person, but really want to.
Fawny of Nokota: They are true wild horses. They are not feral
Buddy's Angel: Yes, their story is a sad one, but populations are growing thanks to releases! :D
Pervelski: Sorry i took your idea, and i thought your name sounded like Prezwalski, and i've always wondered where it came from. Well, now i know!
:)
|
Nov 28, 2010
• 5,639 views
|
|
|
|
Wanda
They have a beautiful and healthy herd of them at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. You can only see them from the train. But it is well worth it. I was there on a day when they were giving them checkups. And got to see what the handlers have to go through just to make sure they are healthy.
They have a beautiful and healthy herd of them at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. You can only see them from the train. But it is well worth it. I was there on a day when they were giving them checkups. And got to see what the handlers have to go through just to make sure they are healthy.
|
Nov 28, 2010
• 5,663 views
|
|
|
|
Pineh
this is at 210 views! Keep reading, peoples!
:)
My goal is 500 views!
this is at 210 views! Keep reading, peoples!
:)
My goal is 500 views!
|
Dec 3, 2010
• 5,639 views
|
|
|
|
|
|