The Long Journey Back to the Wild: The Return of Przewalski’s Horses

Przewalski’s horses, which disappeared from the wild in China by the 1970s, have gradually returned to Xinjiang’s steppes after four decades of conservation work. In 1985, China brought in 11 horses and established a breeding and research center; an initial 2001 release of 27 horses into the Kalamaili Nature Reserve failed, with three dying as they struggled to adapt. Today, horses selected for release spend six months to a year in a roughly 20-square-kilometer transition area, learning to find food and water and adjust to life with less human assistance. The priority has shifted from rebuilding the population to securing its long-term survival in the wild.