Mongolian President named the Przewalski’s horse foal at Prague Zoo

Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo’s director, presents the Mongolian President, Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, with a certificate on naming the Przewalski’s horse foal, which was number 7,000 in the stud book. On the left stands Mongolian Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh. Photo: Oliver Le Que, Prague Zoo

At the same time, the President of Mongolia praised Prague Zoo’s work in returning the Przewalski’s horses to western Mongolia and supported the current reintroduction project, which will return the last wild horses to the east of the country, to the Valley of Monasteries. If the young filly was to head off for the Valley of Monasteries in the future, she could be renamed “Eastern Fairy”, added President Khürelsükh. The head of state also took time to personally enter Dagina’s birth in the studbook, making her foal number 7,000.

The Przewalski’s foal was named Dagina, which means “Heavenly Fairy” in Mongolian. The dam of the filly is seven-year-old Victorie II, the sire is the nine-year-old stallion Granola. Photo: Petr Hamerník, Prague Zoo

Miroslav Bobek, Prague Zoo’s director, thanked President Khürelsükh for naming the foal and announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Prague Zoo and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia concerning the conservation of wild Bactrian camels. Prague Zoo is now the main partner in the conservation of this critically endangered ungulate. The two parties will now start preparations to set up an insurance population of this species in European zoos.

Wild Bactrian camels are found in three isolated areas of northwest China, where their future is uncertain, and in Mongolia’s Great Gobi A Strictly Protected Area, which is crucial for their survival. Prague Zoo, together with The Wild Camel Protection Foundation, has been providing long-term expert assistance for breeding them in what was, until recently, the only breeding station, Zakhyn Us, and has also been involved in monitoring and research. The most recent and biggest undertaking to date took place last September when it funded the construction of a second breeding centre at Toli Bulag and helped transport seven camels there.

Signing the Memorandum of Understanding between Prague Zoo and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Mongolia. One of its points is to name Prague Zoo as the main partner for the conservation of wild Bactrian camels. Pictured here at Prague Castle are Prague Zoo’s director, Miroslav Bobek, in the middle, and His Excellency Damdin Gansukh, Ambassador of the Republic of Mongolia to the Czech Republic. To the left and right stand the President of the Republic of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, and the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel.
Source: Office of the President of the Republic, photo: Tomáš Fongus