After decades of extinction in the wild, the Przewalski’s horse has seen a significant increase in its population thanks to a reintroduction project that began in 1992. Currently, there are over 1,300 individuals roaming freely across Kazakhstan, China, and Mongolia. The Parco Natura Viva in Bussolengo, the only zoo in Italy to house these animals since 2007, recently participated in Fieracavalli to present the results of a European project involving various zoological institutions and national parks.
During the event, the scientific director of the ARCA Foundation, Caterina Spiezio, emphasized the importance of maintaining the continuity of reintroduced populations and the need to protect their habitat to ensure a sustainable future for the species. The challenge now is to achieve a stable population of at least 500 takhi, while avoiding risks such as hybridization with domestic horses and competition with intensively farmed livestock. Parco Natura Viva continues to monitor the populations in Mongolia and promotes educational activities to raise public awareness about the ongoing threats faced by this rare animal.
