Together with two mares from Hungary and Germany, he is expected to play a key role in preserving this critically endangered species.
Building a Genetic Lifeline
According to Hellabrunn Zoo, the goal is to establish a genetically valuable breeding group within the framework of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP).
“With the arrival of the new stallion, Hellabrunn is once again taking responsibility for safeguarding a species that would no longer exist without the contribution of zoological institutions. Protecting endangered animals is only possible through close cooperation among zoos worldwide,” explained zoo director Rasem Baban. He emphasized that this is a clear example of the importance of modern zoos in global species conservation.
Przewalski’s horse is regarded as the last true wild horse species still in existence. By the 1960s, it was nearly extinct due to habitat loss, crossbreeding with domestic horses, and poaching. “Only coordinated breeding programmes in zoos made it possible to save the species – and today even reintroduce them into suitable natural habitats,” the zoo stated.
Hopes for Offspring in 2026
The new breeding stallion arrived in Munich in July 2025. Just days after his arrival, the zoo observed initial mating attempts. Whether these were successful will only become clear in about eleven months, as Przewalski’s horses have a long gestation period.
“We are now hoping for a foal in early summer 2026,” said Baban. “Such a birth would not only be a great success for Hellabrunn but also a vital contribution to the overall breeding programme.”
Scientific precision is key to this process. “The targeted selection of individual animals is crucial to ensure the success of breeding. Only in this way can we secure a stable, genetically diverse population that is viable in the long term,” explained Dr. Christine Gohl, head veterinarian at Hellabrunn and Veterinary Adviser for the European breeding programme of Przewalski’s horses.
Decades of Commitment to Przewalski’s Horses
After nearly a decade without a stallion, Hellabrunn Zoo once again houses a male Przewalski’s horse. These wild horses have been part of the zoo’s collection since the 1930s. In 2017, the mare Naya was successfully released into the wild in Mongolia in cooperation with Prague Zoo and the “Return of the Wild Horses” project.
Since early 2025, Hellabrunn has also been supporting the Frankfurt Zoological Society (ZGF), which is working with zoos and national parks to reintroduce Przewalski’s horses to their native habitat in Kazakhstan. This steppe rewilding project is considered ecologically significant, as the horses enrich the ecosystem and lay the foundation for a stable population.
“With this new stallion, we want to add another building block to the future of Przewalski’s horse conservation. Perhaps in a few years, we will once again be able to release animals from Hellabrunn back into the wild,” said curator of species conservation Dr. Eric Diener. “For now, however, the focus remains on building a strong population under the best possible conditions, whether in zoos or in large grazing projects such as Tennenloher Forest, Campo Pond in Hanau, or Hungary’s Hortobágy National Park.”
With material from dpa.
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