A rare Przewalski foal has been born in Kent.
Keepers at Port Lympne Reserve celebrated arrival of the foal two weeks ago. The colt is the second to be born at the park in a year.
The breed, which is native to Mongolia, is an endangered breed so the birth is good news for Przewalski’s horse.
Bob Saville from the reserve said: “We’re delighted to welcome this little fella to our herd of Prezewalski’s horses.
“He will help ensure the survival of the species, which was once wiped out completely.
“We have previously returned these horses to the wild in China and Mongolia and we are looking forward to sending more of these wonderful horses back in the near future.”
The breed was declared extinct in the wild in the 1970s.
But through one of the most successful co operative breeding programmes ever run, the species was successfully bred in captivity and protected.
After positive reintroductions to the wild the horses were classed by the IUCN as critically endangered, before their status was revised to endangered in 2011.
Bob added: “This foal is doing really well and it’s lovely to watch him finding his feet and becoming bolder on a daily basis. He doesn’t leave his mother’s side for long though.
“This breed of horse is extremely hardy and they are used to temperatures that can be as low as 40 degrees below freezing, so a little but of UK rain is no problem for him.”
Visitors to the reserve, near Ashford will be able to see the foal and the herd of wild horses on the Asian Experience.
For further information visit: www.aspinallfoundation.org/portlympne
