Przewalski’s Horse An Endangered Horse By Madeline Grade 5 • January 30, 2014
Table of Contents
http://www.arkandtent.com/images/
Introduction!
2
Names!
3
Description!
4
Habitat!
5
Range and Population!
6
Threats!
7
Conclusion/Solutions!
8
przewalski_horse.jpg?359
Introduction It’s summer in Mongolia. You’re in a long pasture, the sun’s just setting, and suddenly you see a stallion. It comes up to you and starts eating the grass. Then you see mares following the stallion and the little bodies of foals right beside their mothers following their every step. What are these beautiful creatures? They are Przewalski horses and unfortunately there aren’t many left.
http://resources.newsresources.info/english/photo/2012/7/523168f5e85be7b7/0deb638f2aaf0a47big.jpg
Names The Przewalski’s Horse was named after the explorer Nikolai Przewalski. Przewalski’s horse isn’t the only name for this creature. It has several other names. Its Latin name is Equus ferus przewalskii. They are also called Takhi by the people of Mongolia. In Mongolian, Takhi means spirit.
http://photos.zoochat.com/large/przewalski_s_horse_with_magpie_chester_zoo_3rd_october_2009-65460.jpg
Description Przewalski Horses are not considered to be the prettiest horses. In fact some people think they look a lot like zebras, just with tan, reddish bodies and creamy white muzzles. They also have dark tails and manes. Their manes are short and stick straight up. Przewalski horses have a dark stripe that goes down the middle of their back. This stripe is called an eel stripe. They also have stripes down the back of their legs. Unlike many other horses, their mane stops at their ears and does not go on to form a forelock. Przewalski Horses can grow up to 48 to 56 inches (122 to 142 cm) tall. Przewalski Horses are heavily built and can weigh up to 440 to 750 lbs. Przewalski horses live in herds with one stallion as the leader. Other juvenile males are ousted and form their own bachelor groups until they are old enough to steal a band of females. Mares have babies in the summer or spring and stay pregnant between 330 and 340 days. An hour after birth the foals are able to stand. At first the foals only drink their mothers milk. After, they learn to eat other foods. Mother Przewalski Horses take good care of their foals. After a while the foals learn to play and take care of themselves. Eventually after 8 to 13 years, the foals leave their mother’s side and when they are fully grown they leave the group to find their own.
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/ 6230/6330786095_bfd39d9e19_z.jpg
Habitat To be able to survive they need a place with enough food, water, and a shelter for the herd. Przewalski Horses prefer open pastures with grass. They can also live in semi-arid grass covered plains, and semi-desert areas. Przewalski Horses eat grass, plants, and fruit. Sometimes they will eat bark, leaves, and buds. In captivity they eat hay and grain.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pwWF5glpPgY/UPpB7oyxQiI/AAAAAAAAWgk/0u0QCa9shzM/s1600/Przewalski+Horse+2.jpg
Range and Population Przewalski Horses live in Mongolia, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and some other places in Asia. Over 1,400 of the Przewalski Horses live in Mongolia’s Hustai National Park. You can also find Przewalski Horses in other wild life sanctuaries. Only few, less then ten, still live in the wild.
http://yubanet.com/uploads/4/ MareFoalSnow_C_Chris_Walzer_print.jpg
Threats Przewalski Horses main threats are humans. Although there are others which include cultural and political changes, hunting, military activities, climate change, and wolves. Another reason the Przewalski Horse is endangered is because it is mating with other horses, which means there are not many left. Instead there are mixes of the Przewalski horses and other horses. The Przewalski horse is the only kind of wild horse left in the world that was originally wild. Before anybody came to Mongolia the Przewalski Horses were roaming freely. But when more and more people started to come to Mongolia, there started to be fewer and fewer horses. Since there were fewer horses fewer and fewer people knew about them. So at first most people did not know they still existed. In the 1870s Nikolai Przewalski started to explore the Steppes, and one day he caught sight of a group of wild horses. He got interested and started to visit multiple times. Once word got out that there was a new kind of horse, people started to go on expeditions to try and capture them for work or riding. Eventually people figured out that they could not be tamed. Even if you tried, you would fail. So, since they could not be used for work or riding, they were used for food. People would go out and kill the Przewalski Horses. Then they would take the meat and sell it.
http://totallycoolpix.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/14122011_weird_wonderful_pix_of_the_year_2011/ww2011_077.jpg
Conclusion/Solutions Thankfully we have found a solution. The solution is artificial insemination. Scientists are also trying cryopreservation, which is the freezing of the sperm. By freezing the sperm they are preventing the risk of the Przewalski Horses dying out. The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute is working on using artificial insemination and have had much success. Some people think that it is not worth the effort to make sure Przewalski’s Horses do not go extinct. But others think that it’s worth it knowing that you helped save a animal. Lots of people have different opinions. Some people think that they are extinct in the wild, but others believe that they can make a comeback. The people that are helping the Przewalski Horses can be found in institutes, labs, and regular homes but all of them are working on bringing the Przewalski’s Horse back into the wild. You can help too. You can donate to a fund thats helping them survive. By doing that you are helping the only kind of wild horse left thats starting to make a comeback but struggling to survive. We have lost lots of animals that are beautiful creatures to extinction lets hope the Przewalski’s Horse isn’t one of them.
http://p4.img.cctvpic.com/program/newsupdate/20120903/images/1346651067292_1346651067292_r.jpg
Bibliography Nonperiodicals Dell, Pamela. Przewalski's Horses. Chanhassen: The Child's World, 2007. Print. Majestic Horses. Van Cleaf, Kristin. Przewalski's Horses. Edina: ABDO Publishing Company, 2006. Print. Horses Set II. Wilcox, Charlotte. Przewalski's Horse. Mankato: Capstone Press, 1997. Print. Learning About Horses.
Web sites, e-sources "Przewalski's Horse." Encyclopedia of Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2014. <http://eol.org/pages/2923167/overview>.