The Mongolian wild horse is the only truly wild horse still in existence today. Up until 2008, it was declared 'extinct in the wild'. Only the determined efforts of a group of scientists and zoos have allowed this unique animal to be returned to the wild in its homeland of Mongolia. However, its survival is not guaranteed and it is still considered a rare and endangered species.
The Mongolian wild horse is unique, as it has never been successfully domesticated and remains a wild animal even today. Before the population declined, these horses could be found in many countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The species was first identified and scientifically analyzed in 1881, but there is no agreement about whether it is a full species or a subspecies of the original wild horse. However, there is agreement that it is probably the closest wild relative of the domestic horse. In appearance, the Mongolian wild horse generally has a bigger body than a domestic horse and has shorter legs. Its coat can vary from brown to beige, with a white stomach and dark mane and tail. In the wild, the horses live in small, permanent family units. Each unit has one stallion – the male horse – and one to three mares, or female horses, plus their foals, the young horses.
During the 20th century, the native population declined because of the harsh climate and human behaviour, such as hunting and using water sources for farm animals. The last herd, or group, of horses was seen in Mongolia in 1967 and the last horse in 1969. No more animals were found in the wild and the species was declared ‘extinct in the wild’. Since 1945, there had been two groups of Mongolian wild horses in zoos in Munich and Prague, but by the 1950s, there were only about twelve breeding horses alive in the world. All Mongolian wild horses alive today are descended from these twelve. In 1977, a breeding programme was started by scientists in the Netherlands and horses were exchanged by the zoos to increase the gene pool of the species.
In 1992, sixteen horses were released into the wild in Mongolia and between 2004 and 2005, another twenty-two horses were released. These horses successfully reproduced and the status of the animal was changed from 'extinct in the wild' to 'endangered' in 2005. As well as the new herds in Mongolia and the horses still in zoos, there are specialized reserves in Ukraine and Hungary where the horses can be monitored and researched for the programme . While the Mongolian wild horse remains on the endangered list, its future looks good.