Fumar, Fubar's very own Wild Horse

Fumar

Not far away from Urumqi, at the Wild Horse Breeding Centre near Jimsar, a very special horse can be seen. His name is “Fumar”, he was born in a large enclosure in July 2002 by a mare called “Junggar II”, she was the second horse ever born in the Centre back in 1988, and her son is one of the last true wild horses in the world, the so called “Przewalski´s Horses” (Equus ferus przewalskii). Fumar owes his special name to the guests of the Fu Bar, who have donated money generously to the Breeding Centre to enhance his living conditions.

In fact, the Breeding Centre, founded in 1986, is now one of the largest breeding facilities for this endangered species in the world and its work is an important, but also expensive venture.

From captivity back to wild

The Przewalski´s Horse, which is called “Ye-ma” in China and “Takhi“ in Mongolia, is the only surviving species of wild horse, who roamed the steppes of Eurasia in the past. They became extinct in the wild mainly due to competition for food ressources with lifestock, hunting and interbreeding with domestic horses.

Only 12 Przewalski´s Horses were saved from extinction. Due to captive breeding programmes in zoos, today’s population number about 1800, so that local institutions in cooperation with European and American zoos are able to bring this species back to its natural habitat, the desert steppes of the Dsungarian Gobi in Xinjiang and Mongolia.

Practise is everything, also for wild horses

Also Fumar will get his chance to roam free together with a group of mares in the Kalameili Nature Reserve, but in 2006 he is still to young to lead and protect a group of females. He is now going to develop these skills in a so called “bachelor group” together with his two older half-brothers and other stallions by play-fighting like in the wild, where juvenile males leave their natal harem at the age of 1-4 years and live together with other males too. After some years these young bachelors will have gathered enough experience and practice to displace harem stallions and to cope with adult mares and – if necessary – to defend their harem against other stallions or predators.

Fumar´s skills in doing this will be fully developed when reaching the age of 5-6 years, then his play-fights will become more serious and with the harem he will get, he can take part in one of the most successful stories in species conservation.

We just can protect, what we know

If you are interested in further information about Przewalski´s Horses and the re-introduction projects, please visit the websites cited below or book a trip from Urumqi to the Wild Horse

Breeding Centre at:

Xinjiang Da mo Ecological Company LtD.

Jiang kang Road 40,

Cellphone: 13999800006, Office: 0991-2322466

At the Breeding Centre you will get a guidance to the horses and further information in the new build education facilities.

Fumar and his companions will be pleased to meet you!

Kalameili Nature Reserve (China):

www.zoo-koeln.de, www.takhi.de

Gobi B SPA (Mongolia): www.takhi.org