Rare equine born at British zoo

Rare equine born at British zoo

Somali-wild-ass-foal-smallA Somali wild ass — one of just a few hundred in the  world — has been born at a zoo in Hampshire.

The young foal was born on 9th July at Marwell Zoo, near  Winchester. She has been named “Nthanda”, which means star in  Tumbuka — a language spoke in parts of the breed’s native East  Africa.

Nthanda has been enjoying the sunshine with her mother, Tikva.

She is doing really well and it’s great watching her find  her feet and play around the paddock,” said the zoo’s Ian Goodwin.

“She is a vital addition to the European endangered species breeding  programme,” he added.

It is not known exactly how many Somali wild ass there are left in the wild,  but estimates are as low as 280.

The species — which has been labelled critically endangered since  1996 — is found in the harsh deserts of Eritrea, northern Ethiopia and  Somalia.

Somali wild ass face competition for water and food with livestock and are  hunted for their food and hides. A further threat to their survival comes  through inter-breeding with domestic donkeys, which accelerates the extinction  of the wild species.

Tanya Langenhorst of Marwell Zoo added: “The Somali wild ass is the  most threatened of all equid species, so we are very excited about the  birth of this beautiful foal.”

Marwell has been key in the conservation of this rare breed. The first Somali  wild ass bred in the UK was born at Marwell in 1996.

Source: Horse and Hound

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