The Nature and People Foundation is helping to purchase essential equipment for the Orenburg Nature Reserve to care for the unique population of Przewalski’s horses.
Once Przewalski’s horses roamed in large herds across the entire Eurasian steppe. These animals were never domesticated and lived apart from humans. In the 20th century the species nearly disappeared from the wild. Today there are only about 3,000 individuals worldwide. Thanks to restoration programs, 115 of them live in the Orenburg Reserve.
Since 2015, a project has been underway here to create a semi-wild population of these horses within Russia. By 2030 it is planned to establish a stable, pure-bred population of 120–150 horses, with the aim of eventually reintroducing the species into the wild. The reserve has developed extensive infrastructure, but after long use some equipment has failed and needs replacement. Additional machinery is also required.
The Foundation will help equip the Reintroduction Center with a round baler featuring a fixed compression chamber, which will make it possible to prepare hay for the animals to eat during the winter. The machine will immediately tie the bales of optimal size with twine, simplifying their transportation.
