Unusual animals: horse Przewalski

The Przewalski horse is the only species of wild horses that has survived on the planet. For a long time they were considered the ancestors of the current domestic breeds of horses, however, this assumption turned out to be incorrect. At the genetic level, they have significant differences: the Przewalski horse has 66 chromosomes, and not 64, as in a domestic horse. As it turned out, the ancestor of domestic breeds were other wild animals - now extinct tarpanas. And to the closest relatives of the horse Przhevalsky can be attributed to the kulan - Asian ass.

Description of the horse

This animal belongs to primitive types of horses, because besides the characteristic horse attributes, it also retains some signs of an ass. The height of the Przhevalsky horse is on average 120-135 cm, weight from 200 to 350 kg, wool is yellowish-red, and the mane, tail and "stockings" are brown-black. In the center of the back is a dark streak. From domestic horses they differ more dense addition, a strong short neck, rather short legs. The head of this animal is large, like an ass, and the ears, on the contrary, are small. All wild horses have a stiff mane without a bang.

By winter the wool of Przhevalsky's horses becomes thick and shaggy, and in summer - short. This helps animals survive in harsh winters of sharply continental climate.

History

Przhevalsky's horse was found and fixed as a species in Central Asia near Lake Lob Nor in 1879 by traveler and explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky. He brought with him from the journey the skin of a young three-year-old animal. Scientists have confirmed the essential differences of this wild horse from all domestic species.

In former times there were two types of Eurasian wild horses - tarpans and horses of Przhevalsky. Cave paintings depicting wild animals were found, which in their appearance look very much like the horses of Przhevalsky. Therefore, it is very likely that this wild horse has been existing since the Paleolithic times in Europe.

Habitat and habits

In natural conditions , Przhevalsky's horse walks in the nomadic herd for 5-12 heads. The main thing is an experienced stallion, who drives his herd in search of food and water. Wild horses are very unpretentious and hardy. They move in small trot or step, and in case of danger they develop a speed of up to 60 km / h.

The main diet of horses Przheval'skogo - steppe grasses and shrubs. In winter, the animals dig up the grass and bushes from under the snow with hoofs.

In Przhevalsky's horses, the only natural enemy are wolves who attack the herd of horses in a flock, drive and beat off weak animals or a mare with a foal. But horses can defend themselves with the help of hooves. They line up in a circle, inside of which are foals, turn heads inside the circle and with strong hind legs fight off the attackers. Likewise, lining up in a circle, these animals also heat up and drive away pesky insects, while in the center there are always young and weakened horses.

Reproduction

Mating in natural conditions occurs only in the spring. Stallion carefully protects his herd from potential rivals, and immediately enters into battle as necessary. Pregnancy lasts almost a year. Only the next spring the female has one foal.

All foals are born so well developed that after a few hours after birth they can follow their mother. Half a year the mare feeds the cub with its milk. And completely independent young horses become approximately at the age of three.

Horse breeding

The main enemy of these animals was a man who ousted them from their natural habitats by their economic activities or simply exterminated peaceful animals during the hunt. As a result, by the 60s of the last century Przewalski's horses had completely disappeared from nature. Some of them were preserved only in zoos and national park Askania Nova (Ukraine). After a long and painstaking work on crossing, about a hundred young animals were released in the Khustan-Nuru reserve in Mongolia.

In the 1990s, as an experiment, three herds were released into the exclusion zone that arose after the Chernobyl disaster. Horses began to actively breed, no mutations and genetic abnormalities were found. The state of the population of wild horses is carefully monitored. Scientists believe that over time Przewalski's horse will be able to regain its strength.