Kostanay Region, Kazakhstan - 4th June, 2025 Six Przewalski’s horses, known locally as Kertagy, have been released into the wild from the Ungulate Reintroduction Center after a year of acclimatization. This marks an important step in restoring the species within its historical range and strengthening the resilience of Kazakhstan’s steppe ecosystems.
This marks a global milestone in restoring the population of the world’s last truly wild horse (Equus przewalskii) and contributes towards another layer in the full restoration of Central Asia’s steppe ecosystems.
An Historic Moment
Przewalski’s horses, which disappeared from Kazakhstan’s wild landscapes more than 200 years ago, have once again found their place in their native steppes. The species was declared extinct in the wild in 1969 and survived only due to breeding programs under human care in zoos. Today, thanks to the reintroduction efforts of a large international partnership, these steppe dwellers are once again reclaiming their native habitat. Large herbivores are vital to steppe ecosystem health because their grazing, trampling, and nutrient cycling maintain vegetation structure, prevent shrub encroachment, and enhance biodiversity, thereby reducing desertification and wildfires.
Committee of Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan: “Wild ungulates, including Przewalski’s horses, play a crucial role in restoring the natural balance of the steppes. We are proud that Kazakhstan is the first country in Central Asia to welcome the return of these unique animals.”
The Kertagy are being successfully reintroduced into Kazakhstan because of international cooperation and the expertise of Prague Zoo, who have brought these animals back to
Mongolia. Once the Kertagy are in Kazakhstan, their acclimatization, wellbeing and care is done by the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, whose mission is the restoration and
protection of steppe ecosystems and key species, including kulan, saiga, and now Przewalski’s horses.
“The release of the first Przewalski’s horses into the wild in Central Kazakhstan is a significant milestone in the efforts to restore the species to its historic range. Their successful year at the reintroduction centre is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our team of specialists and veterinarians” said Vera Voronova, CEO of the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan.
Preparation for Release
The horses were brought by the zoos of Prague and Berlin in June 2024 and spent a year at a specially equipped Reintroduction Center, where they adapted to local conditions and were subject to careful monitoring by staff and partners from the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative including veterinarians, caretakers, and interns. Here, the Kertagy, who are used to living in zoos and wildlife parks, have learned to forage independently, dig for water and grass under the snow, and have become acquainted with the extremes of climate in the central steppe.
Two of the mares have been fitted with satellite collars so that once released they are traceable, and the monitoring can continue. The network of protected areas and ecological
corridors they will now call home stretch an incredible 40,000km2 and being able to track them in this vast landscape is essential to their long-term protection.
Participant Quotes
Stephanie Ward from Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS):
“The reintroduction of wild horses to Kazakhstan is a fantastic example of how international cooperation can return a species once lost to nature back to its natural habitat. We are
thrilled to have worked together so successfully in order to prepare these beautiful animals for a life in the wild, and we are now pleased to welcome the new arrivals to their year of acclimatization.”
About the Partnership
The reintroduction of the Przewalski’s horse to Kazakhstan is made possible through an international partnership consisting of Prague Zoo, the Committee for Forestry and Wildlife
of Kazakhstan, Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan, Frankfurt Zoological Society, Nuernberg Zoo, Tierpark Berlin and Hortobaġy National Park.
The care, acclimatization and long-term monitoring of the reintroduced animals’ ecological impact are the responsibility of the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative and its partners at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW). Established in 2005, the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative is a long-term partnership between the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK), Fauna & Flora, the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Its mission is to protect the integrity of Kazakhstan’s steppe ecosystems across the former range of the Saiga Antelope.
Background
The Przewalski’s horse is the world’s last subspecies of truly wild horse. It was discovered in1879 by explorer Nikolai Przewalski. By the mid-20th century, the species had vanished from the wild due to habitat loss, inbreeding with local horses and excessive hunting. Since then, surviving animals in zoos became the basis of breeding and recovery programs.
The Altyn Dala Reserve in the Kostanay Region was selected for reintroduction due to the natural conditions which closely resemble the horse’s historical range. It is one of the key
areas for safeguarding the biodiversity of Kazakhstan’s steppes.
By 2029, it is planned to bring around 40–45 horses to the Turgai steppes — enough to ensure the natural growth of a self-sustaining population.
Link for photographs (will be updated with more from the field on 3rd and 4th June) https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16By9txwDyUB0xEHfrYIUzC8osIvtWBlV?usp=drive_link
Press Contacts:
Frankfurt Zoological Society
Stephanie Ward
[email protected]
+49 160 5430117
www.altyndala.org
Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan
Diana Baidauletova
[email protected]
+7 702 254 0099
www.acbk.kz
Institutions and organisations cooperating in the project:
The Committee of Forestry and Wildlife is a state body and agency within the competence of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, carrying out implementation, control and supervisory functions in the field of forestry, protection, reproduction and use of wildlife and specially protected natural areas.
The Prague Zoo manages the international breeding book of Przewalski's horses, as well as the EEP (EAZA Ex situ) program, which is a program of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA) for the management and conservation of wild animal populations living in European zoos. The program was formerly known as the European Endangered Species Program. Prague Zoo organized and conducted the reintroduction of Przewalski's horses in western Mongolia in 2012 - 2019.
Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan (ACBK) is the largest Kazakhstani non-governmental organization working in the field of biodiversity conservation and environmental education.
Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) is an international organization that coordinates projects to protect endangered species and ecosystems in 18 countries around the world. In 2005, it co-founded the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative. In 2017, they began supporting the reintroduction of the Kulan to the steppes of Central Kazakhstan.
ACBK and FZS are part of The Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative (ADCI), which is a large-scale partnership program of national and international conservation organizations. Since 2005 ACBK together with the Forestry and Wildlife Committee, Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), Fauna & Flora (F&F) and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have been implementing this Initiative. It aims to conserve and study Kazakhstan's unique steppe ecosystems and restore key species, e.g. Saiga antelope, Kulan and Przewalski's horse. In 2023, the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative was recognized as a World Restoration Flagship under the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration and won the Earthshot Prize in 2024.
The Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) is an internationally renowned German research institute. Their goal is to understand the adaptability of wildlife in the context of global change and to contribute to the enhancement of the survival of viable wildlife populations. For this purpose, they investigate the diversity of life histories, the mechanisms of evolutionary adaptations and their limits, including diseases, as well as the interrelations of wildlife with their environment and people. The IZW is the lead partner in this project for veterinary care within Kazakhstan.
The Nuremberg Zoo is a public non-profit zoological park specializing in ex situ conservation of endangered species and their in situ conservation in cooperation with partners in their countries of origin. In the past it has been involved in the reintroduction of Przewalski's horses to Central Asia.
Hortobágy is a Hungarian national park providing environmental education services. It is currently home to the largest population of Przewalski's horse under human care. Selected horses from this park are suitable candidates for reintroduction programs.
Tierpark Berlin in the German capital already participated in the past in the breeding, management, and reintroduction of various animal species, and it cooperated on the protection of Przewalski’s horses as well. Within the project Return of the Wild Horses, it provides horses from its own breeding, collects candidates from other European institutions to its own breeding facility, and it will directly participate in their transport to Kazakhstan.