Wild horse from Nordens Ark on its way towards life in the wild

A young Przewalski’s horse stallion from Nordens Ark could soon be roaming the vast steppes of Kazakhstan. An international conservation project is working to bring the species back to the region, where it has been absent for almost 200 years.

At the end of last week, one of Nordens Ark’s young Przewalski’s horse stallions began his journey towards a possible life in the wild. His first stop is Prague Zoo, where he will join a herd of other wild horses. The horses will then be assessed to determine which individuals are best suited for release into the wild.

“It is fantastic that we can now contribute one of our own wild horses to the reintroduction programme in Kazakhstan. This is an important step in our long-term conservation work with the species, and of course we hope that he will pass the assessment and have the opportunity to roam freely on the steppe,” says Sara Nilsson-Saarinen, Conservation Coordinator at Nordens Ark.

Przewalski’s horse is the world’s only remaining wild horse. The species disappeared completely from the wild in the 1960s and survived only thanks to a small number of individuals kept in zoos. Through long-term international breeding efforts, the species was saved and subsequently reintroduced into the wild in countries including Mongolia and China.

Since 2024, efforts have also been underway to reintroduce Przewalski’s horse to Kazakhstan. The project aims to restore the ecosystems of the Central Asian steppe by reintroducing large herbivores such as Przewalski’s horse and the Asiatic wild ass. This is an extensive undertaking that requires long-term commitment, substantial resources and close cooperation between many different organisations. The first wild horses have already been released, and in August this year, the first foal in almost 200 years was born in the region.

Nordens Ark has worked with Przewalski’s horse since 1989 and has provided financial support to the reintroduction project in Kazakhstan since 2025. We are now also contributing horses from our own breeding population.