Genome Of The Last Living Wild Horse Species Has Now Been Mapped
After it was almost driven extinct, the complete genome from an Endangered Przewalski’s horse has been mapped by a team from the University of Minnesota
© by GrrlScientist for Forbes | LinkTr.ee
A team of researchers report they have mapped the complete genome of the endangered Przewalski’s horse, Equus ferus przewalskii. Once extinct in the wild, there are now approximately 2,000 individuals of this species alive today in both captive populations and reintroduced herds, thanks to a variety of conservation efforts.
Przewalski’s horse was almost driven extinct
Przewalski’s horse, also known as the Asian wild horse, Mongolian wild horse, or Dzungarian wild horse, is an Endangered species originally native to the high-elevation grassy steppes of Central Eurasia. Historically, these horses were the subject of many Mongolian folk tales, and were recognized as the steed ridden by the gods, so the Mongolians named them, “takhi”, which translates to “spirit” or “holy”.
These horses were driven extinct in the wild by livestock grazing and agricultural competition as well as by other human conflicts, and by brutal winter conditions — and in fact, they were nearly wiped out entirely. Between 1899 and 1902, an animal…
