ASTANA – Four Przewalski’s horses arrived in Kostanai on June 1 as part of the third group of endangered Przewalski’s horses brought from European breeding centers to the Altyn Dala Reserve, with four more expected on June 5.
A group of Przewalski’s horses has arrived as part of a reintroduction project. Photo credit: Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
Following earlier transports in 2024 and 2025 that brought 14 horses back after 200 years of local extinction, the latest group arrived on a Czech Air Force transport aircraft. For the first time since the project’s inception, the transport includes an even split of four stallions and four mares, according to an official statement released on June 2.
After arrival, the horses are taken to the Alibi Reintroduction Center in the Kostanai Region, where they will stay in large enclosures for nearly one year to adapt to the local climate, build social bonds, and prepare for release into the wild.
According to Vera Voronova, executive director at the Association for the Conservation of Biodiversity of Kazakhstan, welcoming wild horses to Kazakhstan is a significant step of international cooperation and long-term conservation planning.
“We are committed to protecting their habitat and ensuring they thrive, and we thank our partners for believing in this project and for their continued support,” she said.
On May 25, a group of Przewalski’s horses was released into the wild at the Altyn Dala State Nature Reserve after completing a one-year adaptation period.
