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Reintroduction
into Mongolia
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I - Founders arrived
in 2004
and 2005
Two
batches of horses were shipped to Mongolia
in 2004 et 2005. A total of 22 individuals structured in five
pre-formed groups
hence returned to their homeland. All these individuals are at the
moment
healthy, thanks in particular to the Mongolian rangers who closely
looked after
them and to the ten years spent at Le Villaret, where they became
accustomed to
harsh conditions. These 22 individuals are the founders of the
population we
aim to re-create in Mongolia.
II
-
Khomiin-Tal, the reintroduction area
This
region, isolated by natural boundaries was
previously the home of Przezwlski’s horses according to
ancient
accounts. Its
location, close to Khar Us Nuur National Park, allowed its
classification as a
buffer zone. Further, its ecological conditions render it suitable for
the
reintroduction of the Przezwlski’s horse.
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| Zavkhan gol, the
rivers whose banks
offer each year in rich grass ©
F. Joly |
| Khomiin Tal Google Earth location |
III
- Preparation prior to the transport
We
chose to transport the horses by plane
because it is the fastest way. It also avoids vagaries due to the
crossing of
numerous boundaries between France and Mongolia. However, the
international
flight transportation instances (IATA) impose a model of individual
crate to
transport the Przewalski’s horses. To persuade them to enter
the
crate obliged
us to design a specific boarding protocol (see below), as they are
animals very
difficult to handle. |
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IV
- Training of the horses in France
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| Loading
them into their individual wooden crates
required that we pen them by families, several weeks prior to
departure, where
they are fed inside their boxes. On D day, they are enclosed inside
these boxes,
and their transport crates are adjoined against it. They are then
forced to
move back into them. The equipment was built at the beginning of 2004
at Le
Villaret and the crates were made individually according to the size of
each
animal thanks to optical means. |
©
F. Joly |
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V
- Preparation in Mongolia
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©
F. Joly |
Insect
shelters were built to provide shade and lower
temperatures in order to prevent attack by midges, tiny flies whose
bite is
very painful. Wind shelters (Photo facing) designed on the model of the
Mongolian traditional shelters were also built. Finally, a kind of
corral to
isolate an eventual sick horse and a hay stack, were constructed. |
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VI
- Transport
Shipments
take place late August/beginning of
September, when the density in stinging insects is decreasing and when
the
temperature is still mild in Mongolia. From a logistical point of view,
horses
are loaded in individual wooden crates at Le Villaret and then trucked
to the
closest airport (Nîmes) (1). Then an international flight
takes
them to Khovd,
a city one thousand kilometers west of Ulan Bator, the Mongolian
capital.
After, a cargo plane of MIAT (the Mongolian company) ships the animals
to the
shouth of Khomiin Tal (3). No asphalt airstrip exists there, and
Mongolian
pilots can land directly on the steppe. A four-wheel drive truck is
then used
for the end of the journey to reach the release site (4). Inside this
site, a
temporary electric fence is used to allow the animals to become safely
acclimatised.
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VII
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Adaptation of the horses to their new habitat
Immediately
after their arrival, the groups form
again, proving that the horses keep the social links that existed at Le
Villaret. During the first days in Monoglia, the horses are quite
tired: they
walk with the head held low and spend long period resting. Moreover,
the sandy
soil of Khomiin Tal gives them a clumsy walk. This does not last more
than a
week, and then they adapt outstandingly well: |
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Groupe
of Born to
be wild along the Zavkhan Gol river ©
F. Joly |
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adopt the foraging preferences of the local
domestic horses with an incredible rapidity. Some plant species are
more
nutritious than others, and within a month our horses found them. They
learnt
to drink in rivers and natural springs, as honest wild horses, when
they only
knew the Villaret’s water tank. At last, they learnt how to
find
shelter from
the few stinging insects still present at the end of the summer, thanks
to the
equipment made in purpose. |
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| First mouthfulls of Mongolian grass ©
F. Joly |
First sips of spring water
©
F. Joly |
And under insect shelters…
©
C. Feh |
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Besides
that, thanks to their ten years of “tough
life” at Le Villaret, they easily scratch the snow to find
grass
to graze and
develop a thick winter fur that protect them from coldness! Hence, at
spring
2005, the individuals reintroduced in 2004 were all perfectly healthy.
We
address a special thanks to the Mongolian rangers who looked after them
with a
spectacular devotion at the harshest winter periods. Let’s
mention that the
winter 2004/2005 was particularly rude, peaks to – 48C were
observed in the
west of the country.
And
regarding to the horses arrived in 2005, they were delighted to find a green and fresh grass, as they faced during
summer a
very serious drought in France |
Horses during winter 2004/2005 under the warm shelter of
their
thick fur ©
C. Feh |
Herd
composition - 10 June 2007
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| Harem |
Individual |
Sex |
Date of birth |
Arrival in Mongolia |
| Born
to be Wild |
Born
to be Wild* |
male |
06/01/1996 |
September 2004 |
| Agsam |
female |
05/22/2000 |
September 2004 |
| Débroussailleuse |
female |
05/14/2000 |
September 2004 |
| Diabelli |
male |
07/28/2003 |
September 2004 |
| Solemio |
female |
06/20/2001 |
September 2004 |
| Carmen |
female |
05/07/2003 |
September 2004 |
| Bergeronnette |
female |
07/14/1998 |
August 2005 |
| Callas |
female |
05/27/2003 |
August 2005 |
| Bromus |
Bromus* |
male |
09/15/1997 |
September 2004 |
| Chevêche |
female |
05/18/1999 |
September 2004 |
| Aphrodite |
female |
07/14/2002 |
September 2004 |
| Scarlette |
female |
05/20/2002 |
September 2004 |
| Aria |
female |
05/30/2003 |
August 2005 |
| Syrrha |
female |
05/07/2002 |
August 2005 |
| Carex |
Carex* |
male |
05/23/1997 |
August 2005 |
| Carline |
female |
05/07/2002 |
August 2005 |
| Alag Heer |
female |
03/06/1999 |
August 2005 |
| Bolero |
female |
05/30/2003 |
August 2005 |
| Bachelor
stallions |
Eole |
male |
05/17/2002 |
September 2004 |
| Chronos |
male |
06/25/2002 |
September 2004 |
| Estro |
male |
06/04/2003 |
August 2005 |
| Lonely horse |
Agaric |
male |
05/27/1995 |
August 2005 |
| * harem stallion |
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