The Przewalski's Wild Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii or Equus przewalskii), more accurately, the Przewalski's Horse, is a medium-sized Asian ungulate. It is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon 2.
Description[]
The Przewalski's Horse (pronounced shuh-vaal-skee) is an endangered subspecies of wild horse native to the steppes of Central Asia. Their typical size is 2.1 meters long and about 350 kilos in adulthood. These horses show several consistent differences in appearance to their domestic relatives, such an erect mane and no forelock. Other features of this animal is the top of the tail has short hair, it has a dark dorsal stripe along its back from the mane to the base of the tail, and sometimes they might have dark stripes on their lower legs.
As its name suggests, the Przewalski's Horse was named after Nikolaj Przewalski, a Russian geographer and explorer. He reported that they lived in small herds of up to fifteen individuals, and it is believed they were once quite common, found in European cave paintings. Hunting, military activities and harsh winters caused the populations to decline and by the 1960s, the Przewalski's horse was declared extinct in the wild. Captive breeding and subsequent reintroductions to protected reserves now mean the horse is classed as "Endangered".
The Przewalski's Horse was long considered the last, true wild horse in the world, having never been domesticated, hence the "Wild" in its name. However, in 2018, new DNA analysis of 5,000 year old horse remains associated with the extinct Botai culture of Central Asia found that the remains belonged to Przewalski's Horses and that the remains were ancestral to all living Przewalski's Horse populations, challenging the idea that Przewalski's Horse was never domesticated. Though further research needs to be done, it is now believed that the Przewalski's Horse may have been, at least, partially domesticated by the Botai peoples, prompting the removal of "Wild" from the horse's name.
Zoo Tycoon[]
The Przewalski's wild horse is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon. It is a downloadable animal that was made available as part of the Endangered Species theme pack.
Habitat[]
The Przewalski's Wild Horse is a grassland animal that prefers grey stone, some dirt, and fresh water. Their favorite foliage is the Broadleaf Bush.
Behavior[]
The Przewalski's Wild Horse enjoys a large exhibit with at least four members in the enclosure. Females give birth to one foal at a time.
Zoo Tycoon 2[]
The Przewalski's Wild Horse is an adoptable animal in Zoo Tycoon 2 and was added as part of the Endangered Species expansion pack. In Campaign and Challenge mode, it is available for adoption when a zoo reaches a rating of 3 stars.
Habitat[]
The Przewalski's wild horse mostly prefers the grassland biome.
Diet[]
The Przewalski's wild horse is an herbivore that eats only hay.
Enrichment[]
The Przewalski's wild horse's favorite enrichment is the salt lick.
Shelter[]
The Przewalski's wild horse uses a variety of shelters, including sheds and shade structures.
Behavior[]
The Przewalski's wild horse is a social animal that lives in large herds. Their herds consist of mostly mares led by an alpha stallion; stallions will breed with more than one mare. Males will also fight over females.
 zootycoon.com Description
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| The Przewalski’s wild horse is a subspecies of the domestic horse. It is small and stocky, with a large head and a long tail. In the late 19th century, the range of the Przewalski’s horse consisted of the steppes and deserts of Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and parts of China. Loss of habitat and hunting of the Przewalski's horse by humans caused such a drastic decline in the population that the Przewalski's horse disappeared from the wild. It now exists only in captivity in zoos and wildlife parks. |
Gallery[]
Zoo Tycoon[]
Zoo Tycoon 2[]
Trivia[]
- At the time of release of the Endangered Species Theme Pack, the Przewalski's Wild Horse was considered its own, unique species, Equus przewalskii. However, by the time of Zoo Tycoon 2: Endangered Species' release the Przewalski's Wild Horse's scientific name was shifting to being a subspecies of Wild Horse (Equus ferus), being reclassified as Equus ferus przewalskii. In the modern day, both scientific names are considered correct, as the Przewalski's Horse's status as a subspecies or its own species is hotly debated.