Przewalski's horses

Born to stay wild. Przewalski's horses

This species missed the domestication memo and kept going on its own terms. Say hello to Przewalski's horseconsidered the last truly wild horse on Earth. Once widespread across Central Asiait disappeared from the wild in the 1960s after decades of huntinghabitat loss and competition with livestock. Its survival depended on an unlikely lifeline: a small number of individuals captured by early 20th‑century collectorswhich became the foundation of all modern Przewalski's horses.

Thanks to global breeding and reintroduction programsthe species has made a cautious comeback. Todaysmall but stable groups roam protected areas in MongoliaChina and Russia. Przewalski's horses graze for long stretchesshifting between grassesherbs and shrubs as seasons change. They live in small family groups led by a dominant stallionwhile bachelor males often form separate bands. Mares usually give birth to a single foal in the late springwhen fresh vegetation peaks.

Even with these gainsrecovery remains fragile. Climate extremes and limited genetic diversity continue to challenge recovery. As a symbolic nod2026 marks the Year of the Horse in the Chinese calendar—shining a spotlight on a species that nearly vanished but endures against the odds.