SAN DIEGO, California — The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has done it again, orchestrating the successful birth of another Przewalski’s Horse, according to a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance news release.
“This tiny prancer was born to six-time mom Nikki on June 11 at the Safari Park,” a post on the park’s Facebook page reads. “Every birth is crucial to the future of this endangered species which is at risk in the wild due to habitat loss and a lack of genetic diversity amongst existing populations.
“San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been working in partnership with other leading conservationists since the 1970s to help protect these stunning steeds by reintroducing them to their natural habitat in Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan,” the post concludes.
Recommended breeding
This latest representative of this critically endangered species — sometimes called the Asiatic or Mongolian wild horse — is the result of a breeding between Nikki and the stallion Ziggy that was recommended by the Association of Zoo and Aquariums’ Przewalski’s Horse Species Survival Plan. A program overseen by conservationists around the country, this plan is designed to help ensure healthy and genetically diverse Przewalski’s Horse populations.
This distinctive primitive horse was considered extinct in the wild until 1996. It has survived almost entirely in zoos for decades.
The Safari Park reportedly has eight Przewalski’s Horses, including one of the world’s first two cloned “P-Horses.”
About the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a nonprofit international conservation leader, committed to inspiring a passion for nature and working toward a world where all life thrives. The Alliance empowers people from around the globe to support their mission to conserve wildlife through innovation and partnerships. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports cutting-edge conservation and brings the stories of their work back to the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park—giving millions of guests, in person and virtually, the opportunity to experience conservation in action.
NOTE: Landing page image courtesy the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
