Wild horses once lost to Kazakhstan are having foals on its steppe
Two Przewalski’s horse foals, known locally as kertagy, have been born in Kazakhstan as the species returns to its historical range after a 200-year absence, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the second foal was born to a mare named Umbra. The mother and foal are together under the supervision of specialists.
The first foal was born on August 22 at the Alibi Reintroduction Center in the Altyn Dala reserve. According to international conservation organization Fauna & Flora, it was the first Przewalski’s horse born on the Central Kazakhstan steppe in 200 years.
The first foal’s parents, a mare named Tessa and a stallion named Zorro, arrived in Kazakhstan in 2024 as part of the first group of reintroduced horses. This is Tessa’s first foal. Specialists say she is an attentive mother, protecting him while allowing him to explore his surroundings independently.
Zorro, born at Prague Zoo, died last autumn after suffering a severe fracture to his front leg when he stepped into a marmot burrow.
The reintroduction of kertagy to Kazakhstan began in 2024, when seven horses were brought from Europe. According to the ministry, another seven arrived in 2025, followed by eight in 2026.
Before being released into the wild, the translocated horses undergo a year-long acclimatization period in spacious enclosures. Specialists monitor their health and behavior as they adapt to steppe conditions. Monitoring continues after their release.
According to Fauna & Flora, the program will continue until at least 2029. By then, at least 40 Przewalski’s horses are expected to have been brought to Central Kazakhstan to establish the foundations of a self-sustaining population capable of living and breeding in the wild.
Przewalski’s horses disappeared from Kazakhstan more than two centuries ago and became extinct in the wild globally by the end of the 1960s. Breeding programs in zoos saved the species and eventually made its return to its natural habitat possible.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan was preparing to receive eight more Przewalski’s horses in June 2026: four from Prague Zoo and four mares from Berlin Tierpark.