Przewalski’s Horse

Equus ferus przewalski

Przewalski’s horses (pronounced she-VAHL-skeez) is named after a famous Russian explorer and naturalist. This horse is only remaining truly wild “horse” in the world and may be the closest living wild relative of the modern horse. DNA evidence shows that modern horses are descended from not one, but several wild populations suggesting that they were domesticated in different areas of the world.

Fun Facts

In the wild they live in small herds called harems led by a senior mare with 2-4 other mares and one stallion who stays on the edge of the group.
Two babies were successfully birthed here at the El Paso Zoo with plans to send them back to the wild in order to bolster wild populations.
They are commonly referred to by the short hand, P. Horse.
Horses are covered with a thick layer of fur.

Classification

Class: Mammalia

Order: Perissodactyla

Family: Equidae

Genus: Equus

Species: przewalski

Habitat

Przewalski's horses were last found on the Mongolian steppes of the Gobi Desert. The Gobi is different from the Sahara, as only a tiny part of it is sandy desert. It is extremely dry, but the region also has springs, steppes, forests, and high mountains, and supports a great diversity of animals.