The Prague Zoo is preparing a new exhibit for Převalský’s horses
photo: Prague Zoo, with permission/Převalský’s horses at the Maiden Castles
A new modern exhibition complex of Převalský’s horses and other inhabitants of Inner Asia is being created on the so-called Plány in the upper south-eastern part of the Prague Zoo. It should open in the spring of 2024.
According to information from Press Releases Prague Zoos will only see representatives until the opening of the new exhibition of the Převalské horse at the Maiden’s Castle. There is now a herd of six running around.
“Převalský’s horses are the iconic animals of the Prague Zoo. That’s why the transformation of the so-called Plání starts with their stables and enclosures, which fill the exposition of other animals, for example the feline manula or the animal-legend Olgoj chorchoj,” outlines the plans of Prague Zoo director Miroslav Bobek.
Construction work has been going on since last October
The reconstruction of the future space for Převalský’s horses began with the removal of the original stables two years ago. This was followed by the expansion of the reservoir. Since last October, construction work has already been underway on the exhibition complex itself.
After their completion, the plan is also to rebuild other sections of Plání up to the refreshment area of the Nature Reserve. Rhinos, for example, will also return to the Prague Zoo.
The herd may be supplemented by foals in the spring
The six-headed herd of Převalské horses can still be seen at Dívče hrad. It consists of the gelding Nepomuk and the mares Vereda, Xicara, Gruhne, Khamiina and Lana. In addition, the last two were admitted last year with the stallion Granola from the breeding station in Dolní Dobřejov.
“For the gradual introduction of mares in Dolní Dobřejov, we decided to prevent all mares from becoming pregnant at the same time, so that we had enough time to properly place the foals that were born. We do not yet know whether the mares Khamiina and Lana successfully conceived, the possible earliest date of birth would be at the turn of March or April,” explained the curator of ungulates, Barbora Dobiášová.
The diploma thesis also begins the reintroduction project
Simultaneously with the construction of the new exhibit, the zoo is also preparing reintroduction projects for Převalský’s horses in eastern Mongolia. However, it is not yet certain whether the possible descendants of Khamiina and Lana will travel to the homeland of their ancestors.
“The preparation of a new reintroduction project will take several years, but it is not impossible. We now have a selected location, which we will check in the second half of January together with our Mongolian colleagues in winter conditions. Then we will start planning the construction of acclimatization enclosures and buildings for personnel,” concluded Miroslav Bobek.
The gelding and his five cliques
Nepomuk geldings play the role of stallions at the Girls’ Castles. He was born in the spring of 2009 in Slatiňany, from there he went to Dolní Dobřejov and last March he was released together with Vereda at Dívče hrady.
Vereda was born in May 2017 to father Len, who is a direct descendant of the mare Orlica III, the last Převalské horse captured in the wild.
The five-year-old Gruhne comes from the Belgian Reserve d’Animaux Sauvage. She arrived at the breeding station in Dolní Dobřejov in 2019 and was released to Dívčí hrady in April 2021 together with Xicara, Lana and Khamiina.
Xicara was born directly at the Prague Zoo in the summer of 2018. In August, seven-year-old Lana comes from Germany’s Kölner Zoo, and Khamiina was born in September 2017 in Berlin’s Tierpark.
It is possible to financially support the return of horses to Mongolia
The Return of Wild Horses project can be requested by transferring the next amount to the We help them survive collection account, account number 43–680 466 0247/0100, or by purchasing suvrus from the We help them survive section in the Prague Zoo e-shop. Every ticket purchased will also support the project.