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 Xtine66 rated 43 months ago - Return from the brink of extinction for world's last wild horse
An international working group coordinated by scientists at the Institute of Zoology have made the remarkable recommendation to reclassify the Mongolian Przewalski's horse previously categorised as `extinct' in the wil... more
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- Xtine66 rated 43 months agohorses, zoology
- Return from the brink of extinction for world's last wild horse
An international working group coordinated by scientists at the Institute of Zoology have made the remarkable recommendation to reclassify the Mongolian Przewalski's horse previously categorised as `extinct' in the wild, to `endangered' on the IUCN red list of threatened species; a move which highlights the success of recent captive breeding and reintroduction programmes.
The working group of over 60 mammal specialists was managed by IoZ scientist Jonathan Baillie to assess Mongolian biodiversity and specifically, for the first time, examine the population of Przewalski's horses since their reintroduction programme began in the 1990's.
"This finding is significant as it shows reintroductions can work," said Sarah King, ZSL project manager in Mongolia. "The status change is exciting because it illustrates that the horses have adjusted well to native conditions, they are surviving and reproducing well, indicating they haven't been weakened by captivity - which was an initial worry."
In 1945 there were only 31 horses in captivity but by the early 1990's there were over 1500 and reintroductions began into their harsh, native environment of Mongolia.
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