Persian kulan foal born at UK ZOO, hope for endangered species
3:34 PM EDT, August 11, 2024
A Persian kulan, considered one of the rarest animals in the world, was born at the zoo in Chester, UK. It is estimated that only 600 individuals of this endangered species, naturally found in Iran, exist. No wonder the birth of the foal is a sensation.
The new resident of the zoo is named Jasper, which translates to "bringing treasure" in Persian. This choice was certainly not accidental. The foal was born after a year-long pregnancy by a female named Azita.
The Persian kulan looks like a donkey, but it is extremely rare
The Persian kulan, also known as the onager, is a subspecies of the Asiatic wild ass. It belongs to the horse family and is considered related to the domestic donkey. Persian kulans live in small herds on the steppes of southeastern Asia, currently only within the territory of Iran.
It is estimated that there are only about 600 living individuals. Therefore, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified this species as endangered. According to specialists, it has suffered from factors such as illegal poaching, drought, and diseases transmitted by livestock.
On the brink of extinction
Every birth of a new individual brings great joy and hope for the survival of the species.
"With numbers having declined so rapidly in the wild, and the species now teetering on the edge of existence in Iran, it’s sadly very possible that onagers could become extinct in the wild within our lifetime," BBC quotes Mike Jordan, Director of Animals and Plants at Chester Zoo, as saying.
"The leggy youngster, who has been named Jasper by our team, is doing very well and mum Azita is doing a fantastic job of nurturing and bonding with her new charge. He’s full of energy and enjoys playfully kicking up sand as he races around his habitat," added Jordan.
