The loss of global biodiversity is a fact against which they alert, day too, experts from around the world. At the same time, our globalized world is also winding the arrival of new animal species to ecosystems never before inhabited by their ancestors. And not, We are not talking of invasive exotic species.
A very unique birth. The European Bisonte reserve located in San Cebrián de Mudá, on the Palencia mountain, has witnessed the first birth of a przewalski breeding according to advanced the Chain ser.
The Przewalski horse. The Przewalski horse (Equus Ferus Przewalskii) It is a subspecies of the domestic introduced in various parts of Spain whose origin is not entirely clear. Its origin is in the steppes of Mongolia (although there are populations introduced in other parts of the globe) and is considered the last wild horse.
Are relatively small horseswhich reach between 1.3 and 1.5 meters high, lengths between 2.2 and 2.6 m, and a mass of between 250 and 360 kg. They are, yes, resistant horses, capable of surviving in the harsh conditions of the Mongolian steppes or the Gobi desert.
Endangered species. According to IUCN’s red list (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), The group in charge of monitoring the state of conservation of the different species of animals, plants and fungi on our planet, the Przewalski horse is an endangered species.
Estimates on the number of individuals vary, but the most optimistic They calculate that the total population does not reach 2,000 individuals.
European bison reserve. The new copy was born in the European Bisonte reserve, where a population of Przewalski horses lives with one of European bison (Bison Bonasus) composed of specimens of two subspecies: Lowland and Lowland Caucasianexplains the reservation itself On its website.
According to points out the BEthe father of the new foal belonged to the population of the reserve itself, while the mother was decide by the association Paleolithic alivean initiative focused “in promotion and conservation of nature.” This association manages a reserve located in Salguero de Juarros, Burgos.
Uncertain origins. Przewalski horses are related to domestic horses, but it has only been during the last decade that we have been finding out little by little and studied this relationship. Genetic analyzes have estimated that domestic horses and przewalski are “distant cousins” that shared common ancestors about 500,000 years ago.
In 2024, A job Posted in the magazine G3 Genes | Genomes | GeneticsHe studied in depth the genetics of this species reaching the conclusion, among others, that these animals share 99.63% of their mythogenoma with domestic horses.
(Re) Introductions. Even when it is done with the aim of conserving a species, the introductions and reintroductions of animals usually come accompanied by important doubts To consider. The introduction of the European bison is an obvious example since there are serious doubts about whether this species inhabited the peninsula along with the native bison, the steppe bison (Bison Priscus).
Another singular case is that of the Castores, who in recent years have thrown out in the basins of the Peninsula rivers. After this expansion, all An “bombing” initiative (Beaver Bombing).
The controversy also usually accompanies the reintroduction of native species. This is a good example of the reintroductions of the wolf and the bear, protested by farmers from the areas where these animals have their new habitat.
Image | BS Thurner Hof
