Przewalski's Horses

[Swanson02]

Moderator note: this topic split off from this thread: Exotic Mammals in Australian Zoos



I was just wondering how the region's Przewalski's horse population was going. Correct me if I'm wrong but I haven't heard of a new birth in over 4-5 years now. I know TWPZ and Monarto are the largest holders both with numerous herds, I hope they aren't being slowly phased out after the breeding boom and successful release into Mongolia back in the 2000s.
Or is the lull in breeding due to a lack of regional genetic diversity? If so equids as we know are relatively easy to import so we could restart the region with a few unrelated European/American animals. I'd hate to see another species end up like how Hippo, Mandrill, and Sun Bear have over the last 20 years.

 

[Zorro]

I was just wondering how the region's Przewalski's horse population was going. Correct me if I'm wrong but I haven't heard of a new birth in over 4-5 years now. I know TWPZ and Monarto are the largest holders both with numerous herds, I hope they aren't being slowly phased out after the breeding boom and successful release into Mongolia back in the 2000s.
Or is the lull in breeding due to a lack of regional genetic diversity? If so equids as we know are relatively easy to import so we could restart the region with a few unrelated European/American animals. I'd hate to see another species end up like how Hippo, Mandrill, and Sun Bear have over the last 20 years.

Your correct equids are relatively easy to import but that didn’t stop TWPZ phasing out Onagers which were breeding well and well suited our open range conditions another endangered species hung out to dry from a major zoo. Also none of our big major zoos imported any fresh zebra bloodlines in resent times but appear to be content to inbreed and cross with another sub species.

 

[Zoofan15]

I was just wondering how the region's Przewalski's horse population was going. Correct me if I'm wrong but I haven't heard of a new birth in over 4-5 years now. I know TWPZ and Monarto are the largest holders both with numerous herds, I hope they aren't being slowly phased out after the breeding boom and successful release into Mongolia back in the 2000s.
Or is the lull in breeding due to a lack of regional genetic diversity? If so equids as we know are relatively easy to import so we could restart the region with a few unrelated European/American animals. I'd hate to see another species end up like how Hippo, Mandrill, and Sun Bear have over the last 20 years.

I believe the last birth was a colt born in December 2019 at Altina.

There’s been a few transfers that give me hope for future breeding of this species e.g. the 2020/2021 Zoos Victoria Annual Report listed a stallion received from Monarto and four mares received from Dubbo; while following the birth of the colt at Altina, they received a new stallion from Monarto in 2020.

To my knowledge, we haven’t had any new imports from outside the region for a while. I can find a reference to 2.3 imported from three different English zoos by Dubbo in 1999 but not a lot after that.

 

[Matt_C]

It would be great to a small herd of przewalski's horses transferred to Hamilton zoo. They would work well with the collection and keeper interests. Has there ever been any in NZ?

 

[Jambo]

I believe the last birth was a colt born in December 2019 at Altina.

There’s been a few transfers that give me hope for future breeding of this species e.g. the 2020/2021 Zoos Victoria Annual Report listed a stallion received from Monarto and four mares received from Dubbo; while following the birth of the colt at Altina, they received a new stallion from Monarto in 2020.

To my knowledge, we haven’t had any new imports from outside the region for a while. I can find a reference to 2.3 imported from three different English zoos by Dubbo in 1999 but not a lot after that.

Werribee have quite a decent hard that have experienced some success over the years. I believe they have around ten individuals in total. They had three births in 2018, but since the births have dropped due to the fact that the previous stallion Ronald was either retired or had died. A replacement stallion will hopefully led to future births soon.

It would be great to a small herd of przewalski's horses transferred to Hamilton zoo. They would work well with the collection and keeper interests. Has there ever been any in NZ?

I don’t believe so, although it’s likely some may have been held at Auckland way back. I don’t believe they’ve ever been held at Wellington though, nor any other facilities.

 

[Zoofan15]

Has there ever been any in NZ?

I don’t believe so, although it’s likely some may have been held at Auckland way back. I don’t believe they’ve ever been held at Wellington though, nor any other facilities.

Przewalski’s horse have never been held in any New Zealand zoo.

It would be great to a small herd of przewalski's horses transferred to Hamilton zoo. They would work well with the collection and keeper interests

I’d also like to see Przewalski’s horse held at Hamilton Zoo. They’d nicely compliment the African and North American plains species in the Savannah area.

It wouldn’t be difficult to import them given they’re an equid species and as a long lived species, an initial import could sustain a population at the zoo for at least 10-15 years before a replacement stallion was needed.

The other obvious candidate for housing them in New Zealand is Orana Wildlife Park given they’re an open range zoo. They’d be comparatively cost effective to keep versus carnivores and great ape species.

 

[Zorro]

Przewalski’s horse have never been held in any New Zealand zoo.

I’d also like to see Przewalski’s horse held at Hamilton Zoo. They’d nicely compliment the African and North American plains species in the Savannah area.

It wouldn’t be difficult to import them given they’re an equid species and as a long lived species, an initial import could sustain a population at the zoo for at least 10-15 years before a replacement stallion was needed.

The other obvious candidate for housing them in New Zealand is Orana Wildlife Park given they’re an open range zoo. They’d be comparatively cost effective to keep versus carnivores and great ape species.

I am really surprised that NZ zoos do not keep this species

 

[Matt_C]

Przewalski’s horse have never been held in any New Zealand zoo.

I’d also like to see Przewalski’s horse held at Hamilton Zoo. They’d nicely compliment the African and North American plains species in the Savannah area.

It wouldn’t be difficult to import them given they’re an equid species and as a long lived species, an initial import could sustain a population at the zoo for at least 10-15 years before a replacement stallion was needed.

The other obvious candidate for housing them in New Zealand is Orana Wildlife Park given they’re an open range zoo. They’d be comparatively cost effective to keep versus carnivores and great ape species.

Orana would make a lot of sense and I suspect a lot of facilities would happily hold surplus animals if Orana and Hamilton had the main herds. Male zebra seem to turn up in a few odd places here.

It always surprises me the less lucrative zoos don't focus on doing an excellent job with cost effective species, though maybe the visitor numbers favour fewer expensive species.

 

[Zoofan15]

Orana would make a lot of sense and I suspect a lot of facilities would happily hold surplus animals if Orana and Hamilton had the main herds. Male zebra seem to turn up in a few odd places here.

It always surprises me the less lucrative zoos don't focus on doing an excellent job with cost effective species, though maybe the visitor numbers favour fewer expensive species.

Przewalski’s horse appear to tick so many boxes being endangered, enabling, cost effective (cheap to house and feed) and easy to import.

Like you say, Gibbs Farm etc. have held surplus giraffe and zebra - ironically they have the only Grant’s zebra stallions in New Zealand while Hamilton churns out hybrids courtesy of a succession of hybrid stallions.

 

[Swanson02]

Przewalski’s horse have never been held in any New Zealand zoo.

I’d also like to see Przewalski’s horse held at Hamilton Zoo. They’d nicely compliment the African and North American plains species in the Savannah area.

It wouldn’t be difficult to import them given they’re an equid species and as a long lived species, an initial import could sustain a population at the zoo for at least 10-15 years before a replacement stallion was needed.

The other obvious candidate for housing them in New Zealand is Orana Wildlife Park given they’re an open range zoo. They’d be comparatively cost effective to keep versus carnivores and great ape species.

I'm surprised too that none are present in NZ. They'd work really well at say Hamilton or Orana and are a relatively easy/cheap species to take care of, requiring the same medical treatment and foodstuff that a normal horse would. They are also more cold-weather-suited than many of Orana or Hamiltons African stock.
Monarto currently states it has 11 horses but the last time I was there in January I was told they had 20. I know since 1986 they have bred over 50 so no issues there. The last were 4 foals born in 2016 (6 years ago ).
I think there are currently 4 holders in the region, so surely a relatively unrelated group could be matched and sent to Hamilton.

 

[Zoofan15]

I'm surprised too that none are present in NZ. They'd work really well at say Hamilton or Orana and are a relatively easy/cheap species to take care of, requiring the same medical treatment and foodstuff that a normal horse would. They are also more cold-weather-suited than many of Orana or Hamiltons African stock.
Monarto currently states it has 11 horses but the last time I was there in January I was told they had 20. I know since 1986 they have bred over 50 so no issues there. The last were 4 foals born in 2016 (6 years ago ).
I think there are currently 4 holders in the region, so surely a relatively unrelated group could be matched and sent to Hamilton.

There’s four official holders - Dubbo, Monarto Werribee and Altina; plus a privately facility (Farnhill Estate) which holds around 20 of them.

For interest’s sake, these are the numbers held in 2007 in our region:

Dubbo: 7.13
Monarto 11.13
Werribee: 1.5

It’s equally surprising so few Australian holders have come on board during this time frame. They’re more suited to the open range zoos, but some of the wildlife parks could accomodate them as Altina has done. They’d be a great fit for Darling Down’s Zoo.

 

[Matt_C]

Hamilton has a perfectly good stable area currently housing 2 miniature ponies that once held camel and then llama. Behind that is a disused path with a paddock opposite that I think has random fellow deer offdisplay occasionally.

The area is wasted at the moment, and would be easily repurposed for przewalski's horses. Maybe a tad close to the tigers though.

 

[Zoofan15]

Hamilton has a perfectly good stable area currently housing 2 miniature ponies that once held camel and then llama. Behind that is a disused path with a paddock opposite that I think has random fellow deer offdisplay occasionally.

The area is wasted at the moment, and would be easily repurposed for przewalski's horses. Maybe a tad close to the tigers though.

It would be great to see this area redeveloped. It’s been closed for a number of years and annoys visitors who see the pathway blocked and have to traipse back the way they come; not to mention it’s an inefficient use of exhibit space.

Personally I’d phase the ponies out along with the goats and pigs that are currently taking up considerable space between them along the central pathway. This area occupied by the latter two could also be redeveloped for a small to medium exotic species e.g. Serval or Caracal - a nice link to the Cheetah.

 

[Matt_C]

It would be great to see this area redeveloped. It’s been closed for a number of years and annoys visitors who see the pathway blocked and have to traipse back the way they come; not to mention it’s an inefficient use of exhibit space.

Personally I’d phase the ponies out along with the goats and pigs that are currently taking up considerable space between them along the central pathway. This area occupied by the latter two could also be redeveloped for a small to medium exotic species e.g. Serval or Caracal - a nice link to the Cheetah.

I agree from personal preference, but kids love the goats and pigs because they get to interact with them and I'm not sure Hamilton is the right zoo at the moment for smaller carnivores, they would be better doing simple, cheap and active animals well to rebuild their foundation.

 

[akasha]

I was just wondering how the region's Przewalski's horse population was going. Correct me if I'm wrong but I haven't heard of a new birth in over 4-5 years now. I know TWPZ and Monarto are the largest holders both with numerous herds, I hope they aren't being slowly phased out after the breeding boom and successful release into Mongolia back in the 2000s.
Or is the lull in breeding due to a lack of regional genetic diversity? If so equids as we know are relatively easy to import so we could restart the region with a few unrelated European/American animals. I'd hate to see another species end up like how Hippo, Mandrill, and Sun Bear have over the last 20 years.

Altina produced 2 foals in 2020, and definitely intend to breed more with the stallion that was transferred from Monarto in 2020. I believe they have 5 mares.
Werribee received a stallion (from Monarto) and 3 mares (from TWPZ) in 2020/2021 presumably for breeding.

I'm surprised too that none are present in NZ. They'd work really well at say Hamilton or Orana and are a relatively easy/cheap species to take care of, requiring the same medical treatment and foodstuff that a normal horse would. They are also more cold-weather-suited than many of Orana or Hamiltons African stock.
Monarto currently states it has 11 horses but the last time I was there in January I was told they had 20. I know since 1986 they have bred over 50 so no issues there. The last were 4 foals born in 2016 (6 years ago ).
I think there are currently 4 holders in the region, so surely a relatively unrelated group could be matched and sent to Hamilton.

Yes, it is correct that Monarto hold 11 (3.8) individuals. In 2019 TWPZ had 18, but I’m not sure what the population is now.