Kazakhstan has welcomed a new addition to its population of the rare Przewalski's horse, with a second foal born in the country, reports infohub.kz.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources announced that the foal was born to a mare named Umbra, which had been brought to the country as part of an international reintroduction program. The mother and foal are currently together, with specialists closely monitoring their health and behavior.
The ministry noted that the birth of a second foal indicates that the Przewalski's horses brought to Kazakhstan are successfully adapting to the steppe environment and beginning to breed naturally. A key goal of the program is to establish a self-sustaining population capable of living and reproducing in the wild.
Recall that the return of Przewalski's horses (kertagy) to Kazakhstan began in 2024, when seven animals were brought from Europe. In 2025, another seven were brought, and in 2026, eight more.
The Przewalski's horse is the last surviving wild horse species in Eurasia. It disappeared from the wild in the 20th century, but the species was preserved through breeding in zoos. Later, these horses were reintroduced to their historical habitats, and Kazakhstan became one of the countries where such efforts are underway.
The first Przewalski's horse foal was born on August 22 at the Alibi Reintroduction Center in the Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve.