International partnership of governmental and non-governmental parties across five nations proceeds on a joint mission to return wild horses to Central Kazakhstan’s Alty Dala – a critical steppe ecosystem awarded as UN World Restoration Flagship.

ASTANA / PRAGUE / BERLIN— The historic rewilding of Central Kazakhstan’s grasslands reaches another major milestone this week as the third cohort of endangered Przewalski’s horses successfully arrives from European breeding facilities to Altyn Dala Reservat. Four horses arrived by plane to Kostanay on June 1st with four more expected to land at the same airport on June 5th. Arrival of the horses takes place on World Environment Day (June 5th), highlighting the international collaborative efforts needed to bring truly wild horses back to the Kazakh steppe to benefit nature, culture, and climate.

The return of the world’s last truly wild horse (Equus przewalskii) to Kazakhstan is a critical component of a larger ecosystem restoration strategy. As native large herbivores, the horses play a vital role in the steppe alongside saiga antelopes and reintroduced kulans (Asiatic wild asses). Their grazing and movement patterns naturally prevent wildfires by reducing dry biomass, stimulate plant biodiversity, and create essential habitats for ground-nesting birds and smaller steppe fauna. With climate change, dry seasons are becoming hotter and longer, increasing risks of wildfires. Reintroducing large native grazers - like Przewalski’s horses - is a vital tool for restoring balance back to steppe grasslands and addressing climate change impacts.

“With climate change, the UN is expecting the numbers of wildfires to rise by 50% in this century. Wild grazers like the Przewalski’s horses in Kazakhstan play a vital role in keeping ecosystems in balance. Nature is our strongest ally as we are adapting to a new normal”, says Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division at the UN Environment Programme. 

This latest airlift continues a highly coordinated multi-year international reintroduction initiative led by the Prague Zoo, in close partnership with the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), and the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), alongside Tierpark Berlin and other European conservation partners. 

Building on the foundation laid during the first two transports in 2024 and 2025, which brought 14 wild horses back to their ancestral lands after 200 years of local extinction, this third cohort safely touched down on board a specialized CASA tactical transport aircraft operated by the Czech Air Force at the Kostanay airport. For the first time since the project’s inception, the transport includes an even split of four stallions and four mares. The animals were airlifted from collection hubs in Europe—including Prague Zoo’s facility in Dolní Dobřejov and Tierpark Berlin.

From European Enclosures to the Vast Steppe

Upon landing, the horses are transported overland by specialised trucks to the Alibi Reintroduction Center in the Kostanay region.  Here, they will spend a year in large habituation enclosures designed to help them adapt to the extreme seasonal climate of Central Kazakhstan, grow their thick winter coats, and build social bonds before eventual full release into the wild.

Partner Perspectives

Lenka Poliakóva, Director, Zoo Praha

“The return of the wild horses is the flagship of the conservation projects at Prague Zoo. The project was initiated 15 years ago by my predecessor, and will continue until a permanently viable population has been established in the steppes of central Kazakhstan.”

Dr Andreas Knieriem, Director and CEO of Zoo and Tierpark Berlin:

“Without a shared vision and the close cooperation of various conservationists, the Przewalski horse might no longer exist today. We are proud to once again make possible, in collaboration with Zoo Prague, local NGOs, and the authorities in Kazakhstan, something that for a long time was only a dream. What matters most is that the animals are carefully prepared for release into the wild and are able to establish themselves long-term in their natural habitat”

Michael Brombacher, Head of the Europe Department at Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) :

"200 years ago, Przewalski’s horses disappeared from this landscape. The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative together with its partners are working on protecting and restoring this unique steppe ecosystem. This also includes bringing the large herbivores such as Przewalski’s horses and Kulans back to their original habitat. We must always remember how huge the costs and efforts are to bring back species that have become extinct in the wild. Protecting nature before such losses occur is always cheaper and more effective than trying to reverse them. It is nevertheless a pure joy to witness the success of our long-term mission and see Prewalski’s horses – once again – taking their first steps into the wilderness of the steppe."

Vera Voronova, Executive Director at the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan

“Welcoming wild horses to Kazakhstan is a significant step of international cooperation and long-term conservation planning: we’re committed to protecting their habitat and ensuring they thrive, and we thank our partners for believing in this project and for their continued support”- says Vera Voronova, ACBK Executive Director

About the Initiative

This reintroduction program is coordinated by an international coalition including the Prague Zoo, the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), the Nuremberg Zoo, Tierpark Berlin, and Hortobágy National Park.

On-the-ground management, veterinary support, and ecological monitoring are driven by the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative alongside the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW). Founded in 2005 to protect and restore Kazakhstan's unique steppe ecosystems, the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative was recognized as a UN World Restoration Flagship in 2022 and honored with the Earthshot Prize in 2024. The long-term goal of the partnership is to bring 40 wild horses to the Turgai steppes by 2029.

Transporting and releasing the Przewalski’s horses

Media Assets & Field Photography:

Cooperating Institutions and Organisations:

  • The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative (Altyn Dala): A large-scale partnership program between national and international conservation organizations (including the Forestry and Wildlife Committee, ACBK, FZS, Fauna & Flora, and the RSPB). It aims to conserve Kazakhstan's unique steppe ecosystems and restore key species like the Saiga antelope, Kulan, and Przewalski's horse. Altyn Dala was recognized as a UN World Restoration Flagship in 2022 and won the Earthshot Prize in 2024.
  • The Committee of Forestry and Wildlife: A state body and agency within the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, carrying out implementation, control, and supervisory functions in the field of forestry, wildlife protection, reproduction, and specially protected natural areas.
  • The Prague Zoo: Manages the international breeding book of Przewalski's horses and the EEP (EAZA Ex situ) program for the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Prague Zoo successfully organized and conducted the reintroduction of Przewalski's horses in western Mongolia from 2012 to 2019.
  • Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK): The largest Kazakhstani non-governmental organization working in the field of biodiversity conservation and environmental education.
  • Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS): An international organization coordinating projects to protect endangered species and ecosystems in 19 countries. FZS co-founded the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative in 2005 and has supported Kulan reintroduction in Central Kazakhstan since 2017.
  • The Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW): A premier German research institute focused on wildlife adaptability and survival in the context of global change. The IZW is the lead international partner managing veterinary care and specialized wildlife anaesthesia within Kazakhstan for this project.
  • The Nuremberg Zoo: A public non-profit zoological park specializing in ex situ and in situ conservation of endangered species, with historical experience in Central Asian Przewalski's horse reintroductions.
  • Hortobágy National Park: A Hungarian national park home to the largest population of Przewalski's horses under human care, providing ideal genetically diverse candidates for wild reintroduction programs.
  • Tierpark Berlin: Heavily involved in the breeding, management, and reintroduction of endangered species. Within this project, Tierpark Berlin provides horses from its own breeding stock, acts as a consolidation facility for European candidate horses, and directly assists in transport logistics to Kazakhstan.

Notes to Editors

  1. The Species: The Przewalski’s horse is the only remaining wild horse species in the world that was never successfully domesticated. It was declared completely extinct in the wild in the late 1960s, surviving solely through dedicated captive breeding programs in European and global zoos. Przewalski’s horses are now assessed as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN Red List following concerted efforts to reintroduce captive horses to the wild in Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan.
  2. The Location: The Altyn Dala State Nature Reservat and the surrounding Alibi Wild Ungulates Reintroduction Center are situated in a a globally unique steppe grassland biome that represents one of the largest contiguous grassland ecosystems left on Earth.
  3. The Partnership: The "Return of the Wild Horses" initiative operates under a formal Memorandum of Understanding linking Kazakh state authorities with international conservation experts to ensure long-term site security, scientific monitoring, and community engagement.

Link to download photos can be found here.

About the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 , led by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and its partners, covers terrestrial as well as coastal and marine ecosystems. As a global call to action, it will draw together political support, scientific research and financial muscle to massively scale up restoration. Find out how you can contribute to the UN Decade . Follow #GenerationRestoration.