Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Another chance with a Prehistoric Horse. Can we replenish the herd?



A Przewalski's horse filly has been born at Toronto Zoo, the first such birth in 15 years. Solstice was born on June 22. She is by Phoenix, and is the first foal out of Alexandra, who is 14.



Wikipedia is occassionally resourced for this blog, but, their 'inventory' of living members of this species is impressive.

Przewalski's Horse (click here and at title, thank you), also known as the Asian Wild Horse or Mongolian Wild Horse, or Takhi, is the closest living wild relative of the domestic Horse.
Most "wild" horses today, such as the American Mustang or the Australian Brumbies, are actually feral animals, horses that were once domesticated but escaped and reverted to an apparently wild status. The Przewalski's Horse, on the other hand, has never been successfully domesticated and remains a truly wild animal today. There were once several types of equid that had never been successfully domesticated, including the Tarpan, Onager, and others. However, most have become extinct, with the Przewalski's Horse the only remaining truly wild horse in the world....