June 24, 2022 • 21 mins
Amazing Wildlife uncovers fascinating facts about the last living "wild" horse, the Przewalski's Horse! Hosts Rick and Ebone explain how the closest living relative of the domestic horse got its unique name and its recovery from once being considered extinct in nature. Later, we’re joined by SDZWA Director of Reproductive Sciences, Barbara Durant, and SDZWA’s curator of the Frozen Zoo, Marlys Houck, to hear about the first cloned Przewalski's Horse, conservations efforts to save the species and the process of reintroducing them into their natural habitat.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hi, I'm Ebony Money and I'm Rick Schwartz. Welcome to
Amazing Wildlife, where we explore unique stories of wildlife from
around the world and uncovered fashionating animal facts. This podcast
is a production of I Heart Radio and San Diego
Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and international nonprofit conservation organization behind the
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. Today, we're talking about
(00:28):
the last remaining truly wild horse. While many feral domestic
horses are called wild, there's only one true wild horse
species left on Earth, the Vosky horse. It's also known
as the Mongolian wild horse. This endangered species is the
closest living relative of the domestic horse. It's close, but
(00:49):
not the same. We're going to find out what makes
it different and how it recovered from once being considered
extinct in the wild. We're also talking to Dr Oliver Rider,
San Diego Zoo Wilife Alliance, Claybourg, Endowed Director of Conservation Genetics,
and Gavin Livingstone, the Curator of Mammals at the San
Diego Zoo Safari Park. Rick, let's start with the origin
(01:13):
of the name Chevolsky's horse. How did this horse get
such an interesting name? Now? That is a question we
get quite often ebony, usually right after how do you
say that horse's name? Because it is not spelled like
it sounds. But the history of the name comes from
an army officer, a well known Russian explorer named Nikolai Schevalski.
Now he presented a skull and a hide of the
(01:36):
rare horse to scientist at a museum in St. Petersburg
after one of his many explorations into Central Asia, and
they used his last name to officially name the species.
It turns out that the horse was actually discovered and
described earlier, but Nikolai Schevalski's name remained a little fun
fact too. There's also a gazelle species bearing his name
as well. That is a fun fact, So not to
(01:57):
go down a rabbit hole. But I'm curious about Vosky.
What do we know about the army officers mission. Did
it include surveying wildlife or did he just stumble across
what later became known as the Chavosky horse and the
Chavotsky gazelle. Well. Nikolai Chavovsky was a Russian imperial geographer
who studied at the Military Academy in St. Petersburg and
(02:19):
although he was a military officer. Throughout his career, he
led many expeditions and became a renowned explorer of Central
and East Asia. Part of his work, like many explorers
at that time, was to bring back plant and animal
and even rock specimens for a scientific description. So, for example,
on his eighteen seventy to eighteen seventy three expedition, he
collected five thousand plants, as well as over three thousand insects,
(02:42):
one thousand birds, and brought back two hundred other animals
and animal skins. Oh, I get it, so kind of
like a Lewis and Clark. So why might Chavansky's siding
of this wild horse inspire further investigation? Was this animal
so different from the animals found in Russia at the time? Well, yeah,
the Volsky's horse is so special because it is a
(03:03):
true wild horse. The species has never been domesticated. Now,
I know some might say, well but wait, Rick, what
about the American mustang that you can see roaming freely
in parts of North America. Well, yes, although they are
in the wild, American mustang's are descendants of domestic horses
that found their way out into the wild and adapted
to life without humans. When we compare this to the
(03:26):
Chavalsky's horse, much like the zebra, they have never been
successfully domesticated. Okay, wait, people try to domesticate zebras. You
are full of fun facts today. So what are some
of the physical characteristics that make the Chavolsky horse different
than the domestic horse of today? Okay, well, I'll do
my best to describe the physical features of the Chevalsky's horse,
(03:48):
so hopefully our listeners can imagine the picture of them
in their mind, if you will. When we compare the
domestic horse to the Chavalsky's horse, the Svalsky's horse is
stock here, it's a little bit shorter. Their belly is
times described as a pop belly compared to other horses,
a little more in the round area. Let's see. Their
mane is dark in color and it stands upright, similar
(04:08):
to a zebra's mane. It doesn't fold over. And now,
their overall coloration may vary in shades, but I think
it's fair to say that Chovolsky's horses have a sand
or tan coloration, with a lighter color on their belly,
darker on the back, and they have a long dark
stripe on the back that goes from the withers to
the base of their tail. Their legs and maine are
darker than the body, almost a deep brown coloration. And
(04:29):
get this, they do not have that little lock of
hair on the forehead known as the forelock like domestic horses.
Another notable difference is their head, which is more rectangular
than the domestic horse's head and a bit larger in
comparison to the rest of the body. Yeah, from pictures
I can see the stockiness so rick. The Chavsky horse
(04:49):
was found in Mongolia, which is known for, among other things,
it's harsh winters. Is the Javasky horse like especially equipped
to survive in the cold? Oh? Yes, absolutely. They have
some really interesting adaptations from what their body does to
certain behaviors they have. For example, they grow thick, warm
coats for the winter, and this includes long beards and
(05:11):
long hair on the neck for added installation. These coats
are important during these harsh winters because temperatures can often
stay at or below freezing for long durations. And when
it comes to behavior check this out. In high winds,
the Volsky's horses will turn their backs to the storm
and tuck their tail tightly between their back legs. This
behavior of turning the head away from the wind helps
(05:32):
protect the eyes and the nostrils, and with their rump
to the wind well talking the tail protects the sensitive
reproductive parts from those severe winds. How about the social structure?
What are the herd social dynamics of the Vosky horse.
I'm so glad you asked this, Ebony, because every species
seems to be a little bit different when it comes
to social structure, and when species live in a herd,
(05:53):
it's always fascinating to find out if they're matriarchal, patriarchal,
or something completely different. Even when it comes to the
Savosky's horses. They live in two kinds of distinct social
groups that can become pretty large if given the opportunity.
The first social group is known as a harem, led
by one dominant male or stallion and anywhere from a
(06:14):
few to upwards of ten females known as mayors, and
of course the offspring of those mayors as well. They
will stay with that herd up to two to three
years of age. The other kind of social group is
a bachelor group or bachelor herd. This is a group
made up of stallions too old to stay with their
birth herd, but still too young to challenge dominant stallion
for the rights to lead a harem. Brick I love
(06:36):
learning about the family dynamics, especially the connection between the
offspring and its mom. So how does this group dynamic
influence the Shavoski horses behavior? Well, I meany when it
comes to the harem members, they really do everything together.
They will graze and rest at the same time, they
will spend a lot of time grooming one another, which
(06:57):
is always so important for social bonds, and they will
do this by standing side by side, head to tail
and nibbling at one another's back and sides, reaching those
spots they can't reach on their own. So it's not
just good for social bonding, but also good for keeping
the herd healthy and clean. And when we look at
the bachelor herds, they will do many things together, but
the bonds are a little looser, as males will come
(07:19):
and go when challenging other males for the position to
lead a harem, and you will also see a lot
more mock fighting within the bachelor herd. This is an
important skill for the less seasoned stallions. To learn and practice,
as they will need to take on a dominant male
at some point. It sounds similar to the domestic horses
in many ways. So is the domestic horse simply a
(07:43):
domesticated Chavolsky horse. Ah, Yes, ebony, they do seem very
similar and quite possibly just the domestic and wild versions
of the same species. But get this. The most recent
scientific studies that look at DNA and genomes have uncovered
that the wild ancests there's of the domestic horse originated
in Eastern Asia about one hundred sixty thousand years ago,
(08:05):
a similar region to where the Chavalsky's horses can be found.
This ancestral species of wild horse has long been extinct,
but the domestic horse, which was domesticated about six thousand
years ago, lives on today. Similar research shows us that
the Volsky's horses and the domestic horses did have a
shared ancestral species, but the Chevalsky's horse diverged from them
(08:28):
prior to the domestication of the current or modern horse.
This is seen in the fact that the Chevalsky's horses
have sixty six chromosomes, whereas the modern domestic horse has
sixty four. I have so many questions, but I'll save
them for our conversation with the scientists coming up, so
we'll keep going rick. At one point, the i UCN
(08:50):
Red Lists Assessment determined the Chevalsky horse was extinct in
the wild. That was the nineteen seventy What was done
to turn that around? Oh? Yes, Evany, it really is
an amazing story and it really highlights to the importance
of zoos when it comes to wildlife conservation. So by
the nineteen fifties there were just twelve Schevalski's horses in
(09:12):
zoos and the wild population was dwindling. Zoologists in Germany
took note of this, and along with conservation groups, they
worked to save the species. By nineteen sixty five, there
were one thirty four horses living in thirty two zoos. Unfortunately,
due to a combination of overgrazed pastures and deadly winters,
the last sighting of a Chowalski's horse in the wild
(09:34):
was around nineteen sixty nine. If it wasn't for the
population still remaining in zoos, we would have lost the
species forever. The zoos continued to work together and the
population grew. In sixteen, Shovalski's horses were reintroduced into their
native habitat in Mongolia, and as of two thousand eleven,
the world's population is about one thousand, four hundred and
(09:57):
new populations continue to be reintroduced to reserves in their
native lands, and although they are still an endangered species,
the most recent population surveys show that their numbers are increasing,
which is always a good trend to see. Yes, that's
great news, Rick. What can you tell us about the
Chavolsky's horses at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Oh, yes, Ebony,
(10:19):
we have a little bit of history there with the
Chevalsky's horses as well. In nine we had our first
Chevalsky's horse birth at the San Diego Zoo and shortly
thereafter we established a breeding herd at the San Diego
Zoo Safari Park. Over one sixty Chevalsky horses have been
born at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and
their offsprings have been sent to other zoos and reintroduction
(10:39):
projects around the world. Now it's time for the San
Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance minute an opportunity for you to
learn what's new at the Zoo. The Koala has been
declared an endangered species in Queensland, New South Wales and
the Australian Capital Territory. Quala populations in these areas have
(11:03):
continued to show declines over the last decade. The situation
reached a critical point due to losses experience during the
catastrophic mega fires experienced in Australia. In San Diego Zoo,
Wildlife Alliance experts Dr Kelly Lee and Dr Bill Ellis
have both presented data to Australian government officials showing the
(11:24):
critical status of the koala populations. Reports were submitted to
both the Queensland and Australian Commonwealth governments as far back
as two thousand nine showing that the koala was in
danger and should be listed as an endangered species. Work
will continue to protect and reconnect koala habitats and support
these populations. We're continuing our conversation about the last living
(11:53):
truly wild horse, the Tobosky's horse. The endangered animal was
once listed as extinct in the wild. Now there's an
estimated two thousand remaining. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park
is home to a dozen or so Shavosky's horses. They
are under the care of Gavin Livingston. He's the curator
of Mammals at the Safari Park. He's joining the conversation
(12:16):
along with Dr Oliver Rider, the Clayburg Endowed Director of
Conservation Genetics with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Welcome
to both of you. Thank you, Evany, thank you for
having us day. Ebany, So, Gavin, what is a curator
of mammals? Well, So, a curator of mammals basically oversees
(12:36):
the care of our animals and the teams that care
for our animals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
So we oversee the high level planning our conservation breeding
programs and then making sure that our teams have the
resources that they need to successfully care for the wildlife
that we've been entrusted with. And how does a curator
of mammals, How does that position connect to the endangered
(12:59):
animals conservation plan? So it connects in several ways. A
lot of my role is involved in our cooperative management
breeding programs through the Association of zoos and aquariums, and
those are called species Survival Plans. And with those SSPs,
my role make sure that we maintain genetic diversity for
all of our endangered species breeding programs at the Safari Park,
(13:20):
and so that's kind of our main conservation tie in.
And then additionally, a lot of times the curator will
work with our partners in the field to make sure
that we're able to apply the knowledge that we learned
from wildlife and our care and then apply that to
make sure that our field partnerships and potential reintroduction efforts
are successful. Speaking of conservation, Doctor Oliver Writer directs the
(13:42):
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliances Wildlife Biodiversity Bank, which includes
the Frozen Zoo. Doctor Writer and scientists use frozen cells
that have been stored in the Frozen Zoo for decades
to clone a Shovolsky horse full named Kurt. Why why
was this done? Why was so much ever put into this?
Why was it needed? During the long period of management
(14:06):
of Chavolsky's horses under human care, a large portion of
its gene pool has been lost because of population bottlenecks,
for example, during the Second World War. So the potential
the genetic capital of Chavolsky's horses having been lost, we
could utilize the methods of population management to restore it.
(14:28):
If we could take cells that had been banked in
our frozen zoo and produce animals with those. Now that's
possible through cloning technology, so that we have a choice
of large number of individuals whose living cells are banked
in the frozen zoo, and we chose one particular individual
because if he were alive, he would be the genetically
(14:52):
most valuable stallion. He would be able to contribute genetic
diversity that was lost from the living popular Asian under
human management. So when we hear that a birth as
the result of cloning techniques, what does that really mean?
What's being done? Well? Kurt, the Chovolsky's horse full was
(15:14):
born to a surrogate mother. It happened to be an
American quarter horse, but the egg in which he developed
was also from a domestic horse. But his chromosomes are
completely derived from Chavolsky's horses. So it's a method of
producing an embryo that has the genetic contributions of Chovolsky's
(15:39):
horse chromosomes to produce a foal that then has this
desired genetic diversity. In speaking of that, I read that
the Javelski's horse have sixty six Chromosomes's the significance of
the Jovolsky's horse having sixty six chromosomes. What does that mean? Well,
that's a great question, ebony. Dr Kurt Bernershka, after who
(16:00):
whom the Foe is named and the founder of the
Frozen Zoo, was the first person to show that the
chromosome numbers of Chevalsky's horses, which were sixty six, were
different from those of domestic horses. All domestic horses have
sixty four chromosomes. Over the mammals, When species have a
different number of chromosomes, it's very clear that their separate species.
(16:22):
So this finding of the chromosome a difference was a
strong genetic suggestion that the Chevalsky's horse was different significantly
from uh domestic horses. Why does scientists take so much
effort to maintain genetic diversity? Why is genetic diversity so important? Well,
(16:43):
it's important for a lot of reasons, and many we
don't know all of them yet, but we know from
studies for many years that individuals that have higher genetic
diversity are more likely to be successful, more likely to
be able to resist diseases, more likely to be able
to be fecund, and have numerous offspring, and in populations
(17:06):
that have lost their genetic diversity, we say that their
fitness is reduced because they may not have this resiliency
that comes from genetic diversity. So what's next in the
conservation plan for the Chevalsky's horse and what might your
role be? I'll start with Gavin. I think that the
(17:27):
future Chavolsky horse conservation is really bright. Continue conservation, breeding
efforts in human care that support reintroduction efforts of Chavolsky's
horses are some of the most tangible efforts that zoological
facilities are doing to support Chavolsky horse conservation. And as
a curator, my role in that is my teams of
wildlife care professionals maintain a thriving, healthy and fulfilled group
(17:50):
of Chevlsky horses at the Safari Park and through that
we're able to work on our collaborative efforts with other
zoological parks and then hopefully, you know, support reintroducing more
or Chavlsky horses back into their native range. Dr Wrider
I think it's a remarkable thing that a species that,
as it was discovered by Western scientists, was already in
(18:11):
precipitous decline and then became extinct in the wild, but
thanks to the efforts of zoological parks under human care,
Pavolsky's horses have survived and are now being reintroduced back
into their native habitat. And Gavin, We've been speaking about
the Chavolsky's horse, but there are many other animals under
(18:32):
your care. Are you particularly concerned about any other animals
under your care in regards to conservation? Absolutely, a beany.
I mean, unfortunately, the nature of the work we do
at the Safari Park means that many of the species
that we work with are threatened with extinction. I mean potentially.
Species like the Southern white rhino, the slender horn gazelle,
Donma gazelle, or even the Somali wild ass are all
(18:55):
threatened with extinction in their native range due to a
myriad of challenge is. Fortunately the bright spot in that though,
is that we have organizations like the San Diego Zoo
Wildlife Alliance who are taking a multi factorial approach to
conservation efforts, and I think with a lot of dedicated
organizations and passionate professionals like we have at the Wildlife Alliance,
these species standard fighting Chance and dr Ryder is cloning
(19:21):
the future of conservation. You know it shouldn't be. We
should be able to save species by preserving functional ecosystems
and habitats support thriving populations of wildlife, but in fact
we're now experiencing an accelerating rate of extinction of species
due largely to human impacts. So I think we serve
(19:43):
the interests of the future and the survival of wildlife
populations best by having as many cards in our hand
as we can so maintaining protection for ecosystems, having protected areas,
having interaction with human popular aations that support thriving populations
of wildlife if those are insufficient, using the schools of conservation,
(20:10):
breeding under human care, and these advanced genetic and reproductive
technologies that for the really the first time allow us
to bring back lost genetic variation, will afford a better
chance to save more species, and us undertaking these efforts now,
I think we'll be appreciated in the future. Yes, and
(20:30):
that wraps up our conversation about the Shavolsky's Horse. Thanks
to Gavin Livingstone and to Dr Oliver Ryder that fascinating conversation.
Thanks so much, Evany, Thank you, thanks for listening. We
hope you learned a lot about the Savolsky's horse. Be
sure to subscribe and tune into next week's episode and
which we bring in the story of the efforts to
(20:52):
bring back a tree dwelling island dweller. I'm Abnemment and
I'm Rich Schwartz. Thanks for listening. If you would like
to find out more about San Diego Zoo Wildlfe Alliance,
please visit sdz w a dot org. Amazing Wildlife is
a production of I Heart Radio. Our producer is Nikia
(21:14):
Swinton and our executive producer is Marcia to Peanut. Our
audio engineer and editor is Sierra Spreen. For more shows
from my Heart Radio, check out the I Heart Radio app,
Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Hi, I'm Ebony Money and I'm Rick Schwartz. Welcome to
Amazing Wildlife, where we explore unique stories of wildlife from
around the world and uncovered fashionating animal facts. This podcast
is a production of I Heart Radio and San Diego
Zoo Wildlife Alliance, and international nonprofit conservation organization behind the
San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. Today, we're talking about
(00:28):
the last remaining truly wild horse. While many feral domestic
horses are called wild, there's only one true wild horse
species left on Earth, the Vosky horse. It's also known
as the Mongolian wild horse. This endangered species is the
closest living relative of the domestic horse. It's close, but
(00:49):
not the same. We're going to find out what makes
it different and how it recovered from once being considered
extinct in the wild. We're also talking to Dr Oliver Rider,
San Diego Zoo Wilife Alliance, Claybourg, Endowed Director of Conservation Genetics,
and Gavin Livingstone, the Curator of Mammals at the San
Diego Zoo Safari Park. Rick, let's start with the origin
(01:13):
of the name Chevolsky's horse. How did this horse get
such an interesting name? Now? That is a question we
get quite often ebony, usually right after how do you
say that horse's name? Because it is not spelled like
it sounds. But the history of the name comes from
an army officer, a well known Russian explorer named Nikolai Schevalski.
Now he presented a skull and a hide of the
(01:36):
rare horse to scientist at a museum in St. Petersburg
after one of his many explorations into Central Asia, and
they used his last name to officially name the species.
It turns out that the horse was actually discovered and
described earlier, but Nikolai Schevalski's name remained a little fun
fact too. There's also a gazelle species bearing his name
as well. That is a fun fact, So not to
(01:57):
go down a rabbit hole. But I'm curious about Vosky.
What do we know about the army officers mission. Did
it include surveying wildlife or did he just stumble across
what later became known as the Chavosky horse and the
Chavotsky gazelle. Well. Nikolai Chavovsky was a Russian imperial geographer
who studied at the Military Academy in St. Petersburg and
(02:19):
although he was a military officer. Throughout his career, he
led many expeditions and became a renowned explorer of Central
and East Asia. Part of his work, like many explorers
at that time, was to bring back plant and animal
and even rock specimens for a scientific description. So, for example,
on his eighteen seventy to eighteen seventy three expedition, he
collected five thousand plants, as well as over three thousand insects,
(02:42):
one thousand birds, and brought back two hundred other animals
and animal skins. Oh, I get it, so kind of
like a Lewis and Clark. So why might Chavansky's siding
of this wild horse inspire further investigation? Was this animal
so different from the animals found in Russia at the time? Well, yeah,
the Volsky's horse is so special because it is a
(03:03):
true wild horse. The species has never been domesticated. Now,
I know some might say, well but wait, Rick, what
about the American mustang that you can see roaming freely
in parts of North America. Well, yes, although they are
in the wild, American mustang's are descendants of domestic horses
that found their way out into the wild and adapted
to life without humans. When we compare this to the
(03:26):
Chavalsky's horse, much like the zebra, they have never been
successfully domesticated. Okay, wait, people try to domesticate zebras. You
are full of fun facts today. So what are some
of the physical characteristics that make the Chavolsky horse different
than the domestic horse of today? Okay, well, I'll do
my best to describe the physical features of the Chevalsky's horse,
(03:48):
so hopefully our listeners can imagine the picture of them
in their mind, if you will. When we compare the
domestic horse to the Chavalsky's horse, the Svalsky's horse is
stock here, it's a little bit shorter. Their belly is
times described as a pop belly compared to other horses,
a little more in the round area. Let's see. Their
mane is dark in color and it stands upright, similar
(04:08):
to a zebra's mane. It doesn't fold over. And now,
their overall coloration may vary in shades, but I think
it's fair to say that Chovolsky's horses have a sand
or tan coloration, with a lighter color on their belly,
darker on the back, and they have a long dark
stripe on the back that goes from the withers to
the base of their tail. Their legs and maine are
darker than the body, almost a deep brown coloration. And
(04:29):
get this, they do not have that little lock of
hair on the forehead known as the forelock like domestic horses.
Another notable difference is their head, which is more rectangular
than the domestic horse's head and a bit larger in
comparison to the rest of the body. Yeah, from pictures
I can see the stockiness so rick. The Chavsky horse
(04:49):
was found in Mongolia, which is known for, among other things,
it's harsh winters. Is the Javasky horse like especially equipped
to survive in the cold? Oh? Yes, absolutely. They have
some really interesting adaptations from what their body does to
certain behaviors they have. For example, they grow thick, warm
coats for the winter, and this includes long beards and
(05:11):
long hair on the neck for added installation. These coats
are important during these harsh winters because temperatures can often
stay at or below freezing for long durations. And when
it comes to behavior check this out. In high winds,
the Volsky's horses will turn their backs to the storm
and tuck their tail tightly between their back legs. This
behavior of turning the head away from the wind helps
(05:32):
protect the eyes and the nostrils, and with their rump
to the wind well talking the tail protects the sensitive
reproductive parts from those severe winds. How about the social structure?
What are the herd social dynamics of the Vosky horse.
I'm so glad you asked this, Ebony, because every species
seems to be a little bit different when it comes
to social structure, and when species live in a herd,
(05:53):
it's always fascinating to find out if they're matriarchal, patriarchal,
or something completely different. Even when it comes to the
Savosky's horses. They live in two kinds of distinct social
groups that can become pretty large if given the opportunity.
The first social group is known as a harem, led
by one dominant male or stallion and anywhere from a
(06:14):
few to upwards of ten females known as mayors, and
of course the offspring of those mayors as well. They
will stay with that herd up to two to three
years of age. The other kind of social group is
a bachelor group or bachelor herd. This is a group
made up of stallions too old to stay with their
birth herd, but still too young to challenge dominant stallion
for the rights to lead a harem. Brick I love
(06:36):
learning about the family dynamics, especially the connection between the
offspring and its mom. So how does this group dynamic
influence the Shavoski horses behavior? Well, I meany when it
comes to the harem members, they really do everything together.
They will graze and rest at the same time, they
will spend a lot of time grooming one another, which
(06:57):
is always so important for social bonds, and they will
do this by standing side by side, head to tail
and nibbling at one another's back and sides, reaching those
spots they can't reach on their own. So it's not
just good for social bonding, but also good for keeping
the herd healthy and clean. And when we look at
the bachelor herds, they will do many things together, but
the bonds are a little looser, as males will come
(07:19):
and go when challenging other males for the position to
lead a harem, and you will also see a lot
more mock fighting within the bachelor herd. This is an
important skill for the less seasoned stallions. To learn and practice,
as they will need to take on a dominant male
at some point. It sounds similar to the domestic horses
in many ways. So is the domestic horse simply a
(07:43):
domesticated Chavolsky horse. Ah, Yes, ebony, they do seem very
similar and quite possibly just the domestic and wild versions
of the same species. But get this. The most recent
scientific studies that look at DNA and genomes have uncovered
that the wild ancests there's of the domestic horse originated
in Eastern Asia about one hundred sixty thousand years ago,
(08:05):
a similar region to where the Chavalsky's horses can be found.
This ancestral species of wild horse has long been extinct,
but the domestic horse, which was domesticated about six thousand
years ago, lives on today. Similar research shows us that
the Volsky's horses and the domestic horses did have a
shared ancestral species, but the Chevalsky's horse diverged from them
(08:28):
prior to the domestication of the current or modern horse.
This is seen in the fact that the Chevalsky's horses
have sixty six chromosomes, whereas the modern domestic horse has
sixty four. I have so many questions, but I'll save
them for our conversation with the scientists coming up, so
we'll keep going rick. At one point, the i UCN
(08:50):
Red Lists Assessment determined the Chevalsky horse was extinct in
the wild. That was the nineteen seventy What was done
to turn that around? Oh? Yes, Evany, it really is
an amazing story and it really highlights to the importance
of zoos when it comes to wildlife conservation. So by
the nineteen fifties there were just twelve Schevalski's horses in
(09:12):
zoos and the wild population was dwindling. Zoologists in Germany
took note of this, and along with conservation groups, they
worked to save the species. By nineteen sixty five, there
were one thirty four horses living in thirty two zoos. Unfortunately,
due to a combination of overgrazed pastures and deadly winters,
the last sighting of a Chowalski's horse in the wild
(09:34):
was around nineteen sixty nine. If it wasn't for the
population still remaining in zoos, we would have lost the
species forever. The zoos continued to work together and the
population grew. In sixteen, Shovalski's horses were reintroduced into their
native habitat in Mongolia, and as of two thousand eleven,
the world's population is about one thousand, four hundred and
(09:57):
new populations continue to be reintroduced to reserves in their
native lands, and although they are still an endangered species,
the most recent population surveys show that their numbers are increasing,
which is always a good trend to see. Yes, that's
great news, Rick. What can you tell us about the
Chavolsky's horses at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Oh, yes, Ebony,
(10:19):
we have a little bit of history there with the
Chevalsky's horses as well. In nine we had our first
Chevalsky's horse birth at the San Diego Zoo and shortly
thereafter we established a breeding herd at the San Diego
Zoo Safari Park. Over one sixty Chevalsky horses have been
born at the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park and
their offsprings have been sent to other zoos and reintroduction
(10:39):
projects around the world. Now it's time for the San
Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance minute an opportunity for you to
learn what's new at the Zoo. The Koala has been
declared an endangered species in Queensland, New South Wales and
the Australian Capital Territory. Quala populations in these areas have
(11:03):
continued to show declines over the last decade. The situation
reached a critical point due to losses experience during the
catastrophic mega fires experienced in Australia. In San Diego Zoo,
Wildlife Alliance experts Dr Kelly Lee and Dr Bill Ellis
have both presented data to Australian government officials showing the
(11:24):
critical status of the koala populations. Reports were submitted to
both the Queensland and Australian Commonwealth governments as far back
as two thousand nine showing that the koala was in
danger and should be listed as an endangered species. Work
will continue to protect and reconnect koala habitats and support
these populations. We're continuing our conversation about the last living
(11:53):
truly wild horse, the Tobosky's horse. The endangered animal was
once listed as extinct in the wild. Now there's an
estimated two thousand remaining. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park
is home to a dozen or so Shavosky's horses. They
are under the care of Gavin Livingston. He's the curator
of Mammals at the Safari Park. He's joining the conversation
(12:16):
along with Dr Oliver Rider, the Clayburg Endowed Director of
Conservation Genetics with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Welcome
to both of you. Thank you, Evany, thank you for
having us day. Ebany, So, Gavin, what is a curator
of mammals? Well, So, a curator of mammals basically oversees
(12:36):
the care of our animals and the teams that care
for our animals at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
So we oversee the high level planning our conservation breeding
programs and then making sure that our teams have the
resources that they need to successfully care for the wildlife
that we've been entrusted with. And how does a curator
of mammals, How does that position connect to the endangered
(12:59):
animals conservation plan? So it connects in several ways. A
lot of my role is involved in our cooperative management
breeding programs through the Association of zoos and aquariums, and
those are called species Survival Plans. And with those SSPs,
my role make sure that we maintain genetic diversity for
all of our endangered species breeding programs at the Safari Park,
(13:20):
and so that's kind of our main conservation tie in.
And then additionally, a lot of times the curator will
work with our partners in the field to make sure
that we're able to apply the knowledge that we learned
from wildlife and our care and then apply that to
make sure that our field partnerships and potential reintroduction efforts
are successful. Speaking of conservation, Doctor Oliver Writer directs the
(13:42):
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliances Wildlife Biodiversity Bank, which includes
the Frozen Zoo. Doctor Writer and scientists use frozen cells
that have been stored in the Frozen Zoo for decades
to clone a Shovolsky horse full named Kurt. Why why
was this done? Why was so much ever put into this?
Why was it needed? During the long period of management
(14:06):
of Chavolsky's horses under human care, a large portion of
its gene pool has been lost because of population bottlenecks,
for example, during the Second World War. So the potential
the genetic capital of Chavolsky's horses having been lost, we
could utilize the methods of population management to restore it.
(14:28):
If we could take cells that had been banked in
our frozen zoo and produce animals with those. Now that's
possible through cloning technology, so that we have a choice
of large number of individuals whose living cells are banked
in the frozen zoo, and we chose one particular individual
because if he were alive, he would be the genetically
(14:52):
most valuable stallion. He would be able to contribute genetic
diversity that was lost from the living popular Asian under
human management. So when we hear that a birth as
the result of cloning techniques, what does that really mean?
What's being done? Well? Kurt, the Chovolsky's horse full was
(15:14):
born to a surrogate mother. It happened to be an
American quarter horse, but the egg in which he developed
was also from a domestic horse. But his chromosomes are
completely derived from Chavolsky's horses. So it's a method of
producing an embryo that has the genetic contributions of Chovolsky's
(15:39):
horse chromosomes to produce a foal that then has this
desired genetic diversity. In speaking of that, I read that
the Javelski's horse have sixty six Chromosomes's the significance of
the Jovolsky's horse having sixty six chromosomes. What does that mean? Well,
that's a great question, ebony. Dr Kurt Bernershka, after who
(16:00):
whom the Foe is named and the founder of the
Frozen Zoo, was the first person to show that the
chromosome numbers of Chevalsky's horses, which were sixty six, were
different from those of domestic horses. All domestic horses have
sixty four chromosomes. Over the mammals, When species have a
different number of chromosomes, it's very clear that their separate species.
(16:22):
So this finding of the chromosome a difference was a
strong genetic suggestion that the Chevalsky's horse was different significantly
from uh domestic horses. Why does scientists take so much
effort to maintain genetic diversity? Why is genetic diversity so important? Well,
(16:43):
it's important for a lot of reasons, and many we
don't know all of them yet, but we know from
studies for many years that individuals that have higher genetic
diversity are more likely to be successful, more likely to
be able to resist diseases, more likely to be able
to be fecund, and have numerous offspring, and in populations
(17:06):
that have lost their genetic diversity, we say that their
fitness is reduced because they may not have this resiliency
that comes from genetic diversity. So what's next in the
conservation plan for the Chevalsky's horse and what might your
role be? I'll start with Gavin. I think that the
(17:27):
future Chavolsky horse conservation is really bright. Continue conservation, breeding
efforts in human care that support reintroduction efforts of Chavolsky's
horses are some of the most tangible efforts that zoological
facilities are doing to support Chavolsky horse conservation. And as
a curator, my role in that is my teams of
wildlife care professionals maintain a thriving, healthy and fulfilled group
(17:50):
of Chevlsky horses at the Safari Park and through that
we're able to work on our collaborative efforts with other
zoological parks and then hopefully, you know, support reintroducing more
or Chavlsky horses back into their native range. Dr Wrider
I think it's a remarkable thing that a species that,
as it was discovered by Western scientists, was already in
(18:11):
precipitous decline and then became extinct in the wild, but
thanks to the efforts of zoological parks under human care,
Pavolsky's horses have survived and are now being reintroduced back
into their native habitat. And Gavin, We've been speaking about
the Chavolsky's horse, but there are many other animals under
(18:32):
your care. Are you particularly concerned about any other animals
under your care in regards to conservation? Absolutely, a beany.
I mean, unfortunately, the nature of the work we do
at the Safari Park means that many of the species
that we work with are threatened with extinction. I mean potentially.
Species like the Southern white rhino, the slender horn gazelle,
Donma gazelle, or even the Somali wild ass are all
(18:55):
threatened with extinction in their native range due to a
myriad of challenge is. Fortunately the bright spot in that though,
is that we have organizations like the San Diego Zoo
Wildlife Alliance who are taking a multi factorial approach to
conservation efforts, and I think with a lot of dedicated
organizations and passionate professionals like we have at the Wildlife Alliance,
these species standard fighting Chance and dr Ryder is cloning
(19:21):
the future of conservation. You know it shouldn't be. We
should be able to save species by preserving functional ecosystems
and habitats support thriving populations of wildlife, but in fact
we're now experiencing an accelerating rate of extinction of species
due largely to human impacts. So I think we serve
(19:43):
the interests of the future and the survival of wildlife
populations best by having as many cards in our hand
as we can so maintaining protection for ecosystems, having protected areas,
having interaction with human popular aations that support thriving populations
of wildlife if those are insufficient, using the schools of conservation,
(20:10):
breeding under human care, and these advanced genetic and reproductive
technologies that for the really the first time allow us
to bring back lost genetic variation, will afford a better
chance to save more species, and us undertaking these efforts now,
I think we'll be appreciated in the future. Yes, and
(20:30):
that wraps up our conversation about the Shavolsky's Horse. Thanks
to Gavin Livingstone and to Dr Oliver Ryder that fascinating conversation.
Thanks so much, Evany, Thank you, thanks for listening. We
hope you learned a lot about the Savolsky's horse. Be
sure to subscribe and tune into next week's episode and
which we bring in the story of the efforts to
(20:52):
bring back a tree dwelling island dweller. I'm Abnemment and
I'm Rich Schwartz. Thanks for listening. If you would like
to find out more about San Diego Zoo Wildlfe Alliance,
please visit sdz w a dot org. Amazing Wildlife is
a production of I Heart Radio. Our producer is Nikia
(21:14):
Swinton and our executive producer is Marcia to Peanut. Our
audio engineer and editor is Sierra Spreen. For more shows
from my Heart Radio, check out the I Heart Radio app,
Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Hosts And Creators
Rick Schwartz
Marco Wendt
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