Both Mongolia and China have
been involved in reintroducing the nearly extinct Przewalski's horses
into the wild.
However, Mongolia has taken
the tact of quickly releasing horses obtained through breeding programs
worldwide. China has taken a different path by continuing to keep the
Przewalski's herds in captivity and slowly introducing them to their
native habitats.
While the Chinese model may
be, scientifically, more precise, it is also very expensive and officials
now indicate they are running out of money to continue this program.
In China, the last wild Przewalski's
horses were seen in 1966. The Przewalski's Horse Reintroduction Project
of China was initiated in 1985 with the creation of the Xinjiang Wild
Horse Breeding Center.
Built in the horses’ former
habitat, the staff lived in dormitories and horses in stables. Horses
were fed special feed, allowed to breed with help of veterinarians and
released into their natural environment very slowly.
Unfortunately, figures for
2006 show the center spent $2.3 million, which was $800,000 more than
the state budget could provide.
Unable to pay salaries, many
employees have left the center. Today, there are 17 full-time and ten
part-time employees.
Officials fear that unless
additional funding from the Chinese government, or international sources,
arrives the future of the Przewalski's Horse Reintroduction Project
of China may be at risk.
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