Have you ever considered where horses come from and how long they have been here? Like humans, wild horses, specifically Przewalski’s horse, hold tales that catch everyone’s attention because of their impressive proportions.
Learn more about Przewalski’s horses through this article that speaks of their history, unique traits, and how essential they were to the people of the steppes of Central China.
The fantastic history of Przewalski’s horse
In the 19th century, Polish explorer, Nikolay Przewalski, also spelled Przhevalski, went on four expeditions into the regions of the steppes of Central China occupied by the Hun Chinese, Mongols, and Dungans. Nikolay’s travels were about 3,000 km long and he encountered several unrecorded animals and plants.
One he discovered was no other than a wild horse that eventually carried his name. Despite the numerous attempts to capture the horse, Przhevalski and his men failed to seize the fiercely elusive animal.
Przewalski’s horse is a subspecies with unique traits
Animals have rare traits, making them different from the typical ones. Przewalski’s horse is a subspecies of Equus ferus, while the domestic horse is a separate species, Equus caballus. Because of this difference, a wild horse like Przewalski’s horse has features most don’t usually see in modern domestic horses. Read on to understand the uniqueness that brings out the best in them:
1. Physical appearance
Prezewalki’s horses are known for their massive heads, thick necks, and muscular builds. These wild horses have a brownish color and upright mane. Their dark stripe runs along the backbone of their mane. They also have lower limbs, a yellowish-white belly, and stripes behind their knees that resemble zebras.
2. Size
Przewalski’s horses weigh 550 to 800 lbs (250 to 360 kg). They are 7.25 to 8.5 feet (2.2 to 2.6 meters) long and 4.3 to 5 feet (1.3 to 1.5 meters) high at the withers.
3. Food/digestive structure
Przewalski’s horses feed on grass and leaves from bushes and trees in the wild. These horses are hind-gut fermenters, similar to zebras and donkeys, meaning they must ingest water and low-quality food.
4. Local territory
Previously, Prezewalski’s horse once freely roamed much of Europe and Asia. The horse eventually went extinct in the wild due to the intense competition between humans, livestock, and environmental changes.
5. Chromosome pairs
The Przewalski’s horse has 33 chromosome pairs, compared to 32 for the domestic horse. Their ancestral lineages split from a common ancestor between 38,000 and 160,000 years ago, long before the domestication of the horse.
6. Meaning of the Mongolian name
According to myth, Mongolians describe Przewalski’s horses as “takhi,” a word which means spirit or phantom, since people see these horses as the gods’ mounts that serve men.
7. Reproduction
Przewalski horses typically produce one foal at a time. The mares are pregnant for around 350 days during the spring and summer. Then, they mark the birth of their offspring around May or June. Additionally, Przewalski’s horses give delivery when the grass is at its best so their newborn can easily search for food to eat.
8. Life cycle
Within a few weeks, foals start grazing but can still breastfeed from 8 to 13 months. Male colts are driven out after a year, while female fillies may stay with the herd. Przewalski’s horses have an approximate 20-25 year lifespan.
The last of the wild subspecies
Przewalski’s horse was long considered the only remaining truly wild horse, in contrast with the American Mustang or the Australian brumby, which are instead feral horses descended from domesticated animals.
Right after World War II, a storm of unforeseen circumstances, including overhunting and mining development. It heavily affected the species toward extinction, with only a few remaining in the 1940s and 50s. There are currently only 2,000 remaining in reintroduction sites in Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan.
The conservation and restoration of wild horses continue to be among the fundamental objectives for global sustainability to preserve what is left of the subspecies. The Przewalski’s horses’ surprising resurrection exemplifies how varied survival methods may keep a person alive. It is viewed as a movement that favors the preservation of wildlife.
