Nace un nuevo caballo salvaje en peligro de extinción, el Przewalski

SAN DIEGO (Jan. 27, 2023) – Conservationists at the nonprofit San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance have announced the birth of a Przewalski’s horse —a critically endangered species of wild horse that was categorized as Extinct in the Wild until 1996. The foal is the first Przewalski’s horse born at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park since 2014, and is one of only four individuals born in North America over the past year “Every birth is a tremendous moment, so we are elated by this new foal,” said Kristi Burtis, wildlife care director at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. “We’ve had more than 157 Przewalski’s horses born at the Zoo and the Safari Park. They are an important wild horse species, and this new foal, along with each individual that was born at our parks, bolsters their fragile population—and represents our deep commitment to conserving them for future generations.” The youngster was born as part of a breeding recommendation through AZA’s Przewalski’s horse Species Survival Plan®—a program that ensures genetic diversity is represented among Przewalski’s horse populations, overseen by conservationists nationwide. Formerly extinct in the wild, the Przewalski’s horse has survived for the past 40 years almost entirely in zoos around the world, and nearly all of the surviving horses are related to 12 Przewalski’s horses born in native habitats. Ongoing reintroductions of Przewalski’s horses into their native habitats have established several herds in grasslands in China and Mongolia to maintain genetic variation, however scientists believe more work needs to be done to ensure the species’ future survival. In the past few years, scientists have started using new tools, such as San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Biodiversity Bank, to expand the strength of the species’ population. Through a collaborative effort, science teams from the nonprofit Revive & Restore, the animal cloning company ViaGen Pets & Equine, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance were able to achieve the world’s first successfully cloned Przewalski’s horse in 2020. Kurt was born to a surrogate mother—a domestic quarter horse—and is the clone of a male Przewalski’s stallion whose DNA was cryopreserved 42 years ago in the Alliance’s Wildlife Biodiversity Bank. “Kurt is significant to his species because he offers the hope of bringing back lost genetic diversity to the population,” said Nadine Lamberski, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, Dipl. ECZM (ZHM), chief conservation and wildlife health officer for San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “It is imperative to do everything we can to save this genetic diversity before it disappears.” The colt was named “Kurt” in honor of Kurt Benirschke, M.D., who joined the Zoo’s research committee in 1970, and worked as the Zoo’s director of research from 1974 to 1986, when he became a member of the organization’s Board of Trustees. He was instrumental in founding the conservation research program at San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, including the Frozen Zoo®, a critical component of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s Wildlife Biodiversity Banking efforts. Dr. Benirschke died in 2018 at the age of 94. Safari Park guests can visit Kurt in the Central Asia savanna habitat; and see the rest of the herd, including the new foal, in the Przewalski’s horse habitat next door. ###
Redacción
30 de enero de 2023 (12:33 h.)

Nace un nuevo Przewalski, un caballo salvaje en peligro de extinción en el Safari Park de San Diego 

El Safari de San Diego anuncia que ha nacido un nuevo caballo salvaje. Los conservacionistas dicen que el Przewalski es un caballo que lleva estando crítico desde 1996, es decir, que su especie peligraba la extinción.

Es el primer nacido desde 2014 y la directora de cuidado de la vida silvestre en el Parque Zoológico Safari de San Diego, Kristi Burtis, anuncia que están entusiasmados con esta nueva llegada “Cada nacimiento es un momento tremendo, por lo que estamos eufóricos con este nuevo potro” “Son una importante especie de caballo salvaje, y este nuevo potro, junto con cada individuo que nació en nuestros parques, refuerza su frágil población y representa nuestro compromiso de conservarlos para las generaciones futuras”.

Este potro es el resultado de un programa que asegura la diversidad genética entre las poblaciones de caballos de Przewalski y que han visto nacer a más de 157 caballos de esta especie. Gracias a estos zoológicos, han sobrevivido a la extinción durante 40 años y las nuevas manadas son redistribuidas por China y Mongolia donde conviven en su hábitat natural y en compañía de su propia especie. 

Los científicos han empezado a usar nuevas técnicas, como el Banco de Biodiversidad de la Alianza para la Vida Silvestre del Zoológico de San Diego, para así expandir la especie. Estos investigadores de Revive & Restore, la compañía de clonación de animales ViaGen Pets & Equine y San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance clonaron con éxito en 2020 el primer caballo Przewalski apodado Kurt. La directora de conservación y salud de la vida silvestre de San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Nadine Lamberski , dijo que “Kurt es importante para su especie porque ofrece la esperanza de recuperar la diversidad genética perdida para la población”.

Las nuevas tecnologías de la clonación y la vida traen consigo hitos como el nacimiento de nuevas crías de especies que estaban al borde de la extinción.

Etiquetas
diarioenpositivo