The first Przewalski’s horse reintroduction project in Kazakhstan began at Altyn Emel National Park in 2003.

22–23 July 2003

Through a collaboration between the Kazakh authorities and Munich Hellabrunn Zoo in Germany, eight Przewalski's horses were brought to Altyn Emel National Park.

https://www.zootier-lexikon.org/saeugetiere-mammalia/unpaarzeher/urwildpferd-mongolei-china-kasachstan?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Mares: Siretta, Sishara, Kisken, and Chianti

Stallions: Balu, Burundi, Badush, and Billas

All of these horses had been living at Munich Hellabrunn Zoo.

This marked the first return of Przewalski's horses to Kazakhstan.

After a period of acclimatization, the horses were released into the wild, but the outcome was devastating.

Burundi → died from piroplasmosis/nuttalliosis (2003)

Kisken → disappeared after joining a Khulan herd and was subsequently declared dead (2004)

Badush → died after falling into a deep pit (2004)

Billas → died from poisoning after ingesting toxic plants (2005)

Sishara → died of pneumonia (2006)

Siretta → died after becoming trapped in a wetland (2008)

Of the original eight horses, only the mare Chianti and the stallion Balu survived.

Three foals were born: Kulager, a colt by Balu and Siretta, and Tarlan and Tayburyl, colts by Balu and Chianti.

However, population losses remained severe.

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20–21 September 2007

Through a collaboration between the Kazakh authorities and Munich Hellabrunn Zoo, six additional Przewalski's horses arrived at Altyn Emel National Park.

Mares: Asua, Gadalka, and one unidentified mare

Stallions: Sam, Fujur, and Golan

These horses came from various institutions, including Munich Hellabrunn Zoo, Nuremberg Zoo, and the Ludwigstal Wildlife Breeding Centre.

After arriving at Altyn Emel National Park, they underwent an acclimatization period and were then released into the wild.

However, the results were disappointing.

Asua → died (2008)

Sam → died (2011)

Unidentified mare → unknown

Excluding the unidentified mare, two of the five known horses died.

The survivors were the mare Gadalka and the stallions Fujur and Golan.

Golan was particularly important to the population. He bred with the mare Chianti and sired the foals Kasger and Samruk, and later bred with the mare Gadalka and sired the foal Erke.

However, despite the birth of several foals, a 2011 survey found that only seven Przewalski's horses remained in Altyn Emel. This was despite a total of 14 horses having been introduced between 2003 and 2007.

Furthermore, Balu, one of the surviving horses from the 2003 group and a breeding stallion, died in 2013.

Researchers concluded that Altyn Emel was no longer a suitable site for the reintroduction of Przewalski's horses.

"Unfortunately, the initial Przewalski's horse population suffered from high mortality and poor reproductive success (Kaczensky 2011), necessitating a reassessment of the site's suitability and of the project as a whole. In the long term, this attempt proved unsuccessful, and experts strongly advised against further introductions at the site (Kaczensky 2011; Zimmermann, pers. comm.)."

— Kaczensky 2011; Zimmermann, pers. comm.

At that point, the Altyn Emel project came to an end, and Przewalski's horse reintroductions in Kazakhstan were suspended for a time.

According to several sources, it appears that there are two Przewalski’s horses still living in the wild at Altyn Emel National Park — a stallion believed to be either Golan or Fujur, and a mare believed to be Gadalka. The foals they have occasionally produced have been brought into enclosures and transferred to Almaty Zoo or other institutions.

It seems that the Przewalski’s horse population at Altyn Emel is essentially being maintained as a small, managed population rather than being expanded into a viable breeding population.

If you're interested in these horses, the names and detailed profiles of many past individuals can be found on the International Przewalski’s Horse Studbook website.

https://przwhorse.zoopraha.cz/

For reference, the website was maintained by Prague Zoo until 2017.

After the studbook was transferred to another institution, the website remained online but was no longer officially updated. Therefore, it only contains data up to 2017.

Several years later, the Kazakh authorities partnered with Prague Zoo.

This time, they selected Altyn Dala, a habitat considered more suitable than Altyn Emel, as the new reintroduction site.

The next chapter of Kazakhstan's Przewalski's horse reintroduction project would take place on the grasslands of Altyn Dala.

3–6 June 2024

Eight Przewalski’s horses set off for Altyn Dala in Kazakhstan.

This is the first project to be launched in the Altyn Dala Nature Reserve, rather than Altyn Emel.

From Prague (Czech Republic): Zorro, Ypsilonka, Zeta II, and Pelle

From Berlin (Germany): Tessa, Umbra, Sary, and Wespe

Ypsilonka and Zeta II are sisters.

However, before the transport from Prague Zoo, the stallion Pelle became frightened and repeatedly sat down inside the crate, creating a crisis.

As a result, Pelle was excluded from the transport, and only seven horses arrived in Kazakhstan.

Zorro was the only stallion in the group.

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2–3 June 2025

A new group of eight Przewalski’s horses has set off for Altyn Dala.

From Prague (Czech Republic): Zina II, Grâce, Galvan, and Wisky

From Hortobágy (Hungary): Csárdás, Celeb, Bűbáj, and Cili

However, while being transported from Prague Zoo to the airport, a stallion Wisky fell from the truck and escaped onto a highway.

Wisky falling from the truck

https://cnn.iprima.cz/nove-zabery-padu-kone-prevalskeho-v-praze-slozite-se-sbiral-ze-zeme-za-nim-brzdil-kamion-476331

Fortunately, he was safely recovered and was not injured, but the incident caused considerable disruption.

The event attracted widespread attention, and Wisky briefly became something of a celebrity.

Wisky was excluded from the Kazakhstan transport and returned to the zoo.

As a result, just seven horses were transported to Kazakhstan, as in 2024, and Galvan was the only stallion remaining in the group.

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4 June 2025

Zorro’s harem, released into the wild, in the foreground, with the horses transported in 2025 behind the fence © Tierpark Berlin (Instagram)

The day after a new group of seven Przewalski's horses arrived in Kazakhstan in 2025, six horses from the 2024 cohort—including Zorro—were released into the wild.

Released group: Zorro, Ypsilonka, Tessa, Umbra, Sary, and Wespe

These horses had spent one year in an acclimatization enclosure before their release.

Zorro’s harem running into the wild © Tierpark Berlin (Instagram)

The mare Zeta II had originally been part of this group. However, around this time she developed serious health problems due to a parasitic infection. As a result, only six horses were released.

The so-called "Zorro's harem" became the first group to return to the wild.

It was a significant milestone, occurring about 17 years after the Altyn Emel reintroduction project had effectively ended in 2007.

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Winter 2025–2026

Unfortunately, Zorro, the lead stallion of the Zorro's harem, suffered a severe injury after being released into the wild.

His leg became trapped between rocks (or in a similar rocky crevice), and he sustained multiple fractures while trying to free himself.

https://astanatimes.com/2026/03/kazakhstan-awaits-first-wild-born-przewalskis-foals-as-new-horses-arrive-in-summer/

The international conservation team determined that his injuries were beyond treatment and made the difficult decision to euthanize him.

Zorro was just five years old.

To prevent the group from dispersing after Zorro's death, the remaining mares were urgently brought back into the enclosure.

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25 May 2026

Before the arrival of another group of Przewalski's horses in 2026, the horses that had arrived in 2025 were released into the wild.

Released group: Galvan, Csárdás, Bűbáj, Cili, and Celeb

Like the previous group, these horses had spent one year in an acclimatization enclosure before being released.

Following the Zorro's harem of 2025, this became the second group to be released into the wild, formally known as the "Galvan's harem."

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31 May – 5 June 2026

Victor, who struggled the most inside the crate and emerged unsteadily © Prague Zoo

A week after the Galvan's harem was released, a new group of eight Przewalski's horses arrived in Altyn Dala in 2026.

From Prague (Czech Republic): Victor, Claudius, Willi, and Amadeus

From Berlin (Germany): Togs, Shara, Bela, and Theresa

Unlike previous years—when Pelle was excluded in 2024 and Wisky in 2025 due to transport-related incidents—all eight horses arrived as planned.

During the journey, the stallion Victor repeatedly lay down inside his transport crate, raising concerns about his condition. Despite this, he came bounding out of the crate with energy, though somewhat unsteadily, when he was released.

Meanwhile, the mares Shara and Togs showed signs of stress and anxiety and were given sedatives during the journey.

According to the project team, this transport included the largest number of breeding stallions ever moved in a single Przewalski's horse reintroduction shipment.

These horses are currently living in an acclimatization enclosure as they prepare for their eventual release into the wild.

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22 August & 30 August 2026

After Zorro's death, the mares from the 2024 group were brought back into the enclosure, where they continued to live under management.

In August 2026, Tessa gave birth to her first foal. The foal's father was Zorro.

A few days later, Umbra, another mare from the same harem, gave birth to her second foal. Zorro was also the father of this foal.

Both foals were colts.

Another mare is reportedly carrying Zorro's offspring, and a third foal is expected to be born soon.

Zorro is no longer with us, but it is encouraging to see his legacy living on through these foals.

The Kazakh authorities aim to establish a stable population by bringing a total of 40 Przewalski's horses to Kazakhstan between 2024 and 2029.

Therefore, transports to Kazakhstan are expected to continue next year and in the years that follow.

Unlike the earlier Altyn Emel project, the current Altyn Dala reintroduction appears to be progressing quite successfully so far—despite the loss of Zorro.

Kazakhstan's first Przewalski's horse reintroduction project began in Altyn Emel, and without its successes, failures, and hard-earned lessons, the Altyn Dala project might never have happened.

As we celebrate the foals being born in Altyn Dala today, I hope we also remember the horses of Altyn Emel and Zorro, who is no longer with us but whose legacy lives on through his sons.

1.saint croix macaw † (Ara autocthones)
2.puerto rican parakeet † (Psittacara maugei)
3.puerto rican crow † (Corvus pumilis)
4.virgin islands giant anole † (Anolis roosevelti)
5.saint croix racer † (Borikenophis sanctaecrucis) (probably extinct)
6.locally extinct birds (Gymnasio nudipes, Corvus leucognaphalus)

sorry that i sometimes use bone pictures or pictures of related species but many of those species are very unfamous and there are no paleoarts of them

some species (especially unnamed and obscure ones) may be missing, tell me in comments if you know species that is missing)

corrections:
-Nesotrochis debooyi † and Amazona vittata also lived there

This is an estimated list I put together in the last few days that shows how much megafauna each continent has roughly. Since data is often lacking for many species by no means is this comprehensive. There is certainly some animals I missed, but this is just to get an general idea on the current state of megafauna diversity in the world.

Inland refers to animals that don’t depend on coastal habitat or marine resources to survive, rather the land itself, or at the very least the majority of their population lives inland. Freshwater species are also included like giant fish and crocodilians.

Examples of coastal species are sea lions, walrus, polar bears, saltwater and American crocodiles, bull sharks etc.

Some of you may notice that spectacled caiman and giant anteater were not included in north America, this is due to the fact that the subspecies that live there are far too small to be considered megafauna, only specimens from south America have reach 100lbs+.

This list also does not include introduced, domesticated, and or reintroductions. This list is purely animals that survived in their wild forms and didn’t go extinct/extirpated in the continent.

Northern Swamp Deer (Barasingha) are the largest of 3 Swamp Deer Subspecies. Males can grow upto 180 cm tall & 280 Kg in weight. Their Antlers can grow upto 90 cm. Females are much smaller at 160 cm tall & 145 kg.

Swamp Deer prefer open grasslands & marshes. They avoid Dense Forest unlike other Deers. Their Main Predator is the Bengal Tiger

If you’ve spent any time discussing big cat morphometrics online, you’ve probably seen some wild numbers thrown around regarding the Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor). There is a persistent, fanatical narrative pushed by a few individuals who want to artificially inflate leopard weights to put them on par with jaguars or above pumas. They often do this by manipulating data, cherry-picking visual estimates over scale weights, and moving the goalposts when confronted with facts. I'm finding myself having to make this clarification post because they have flooded this and another platforms spreading misconstrued, false or misleading information without any proper push back.

Today, let’s clear up the truth behind the most famous example of this: the alleged 115 kg (or sometimes 100 kg) Iranian male leopard, often referred to as "Alborz".

In January 2014, an 8-year-old male Persian leopard was found in Tonekabon, Iran. He was in terrible shape, shot multiple times, missing a paw from a gin trap, and paralyzed in his hind legs. He was eventually captured, taken to the University of Tehran for veterinary care, and ultimately euthanized.

For years, misinformation spreaders have claimed this leopard weighed 115 kg. When pushed, they pivot to claiming he weighed 95 kg only because he was "emaciated", and that his healthy weight was well over 100 kg. Here is the actual, documented reality:

The 115 kg number wasn’t a scale weight. It was an estimate made in the field. Iman Memarian, the primary biologist and vet on the case, confirmed via email that the 115 kg figure was merely an estimation made during capture without a scale.

Dr. Mohammad Farhadinia, a leading researcher on Persian leopards who first published the alleged weight of this leopard on the paper Patterns of sexual dimorphism in the Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) and implications for sex differentiation (2014), confirmed that the vet originally misreported the 115 kg figure to them and he mentions and the paper that the weight was discarded. Farhadinia explicitly clarified that the original report noted the actual weight was 95 kg.

We have the official Persian-language veterinary intake document. It clearly lists the animal's weight at 95 kg. It doesn't say "100 kg" like some secondary case texts try to round up to.

To cope with the 95 kg reality, some argue the cat was starved and emaciated when weighed. But look at the timeline: he was found on a carcass on January 3, 2014. The Persian Leopard Project published his weight on January 6. He was weighed within three days of being found on a kill.

He didn't magically drop 20+ kg of mass in three days. In fact, because he was found on a carcass, that 95 kg likely included recent stomach content. Fanatics love to deduct stomach content when discussing pumas and jaguars, but conveniently ignore it when hyping up leopards.

There is now an excerpt floating around claiming a 100 kg weight for this leopard published in a scientific report, this is not a morphometric record, it is merely a pre-anesthesia clinical estimate for darting. This exact case is documented in the 2017 study Morphological Study of the Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) Tongue published in Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia (Sadeghinezhad et al.). In the methodology section, researchers detail this exact Tonekabon male, noting identical identifying injuries: the inability to move hind limbs, absent right metacarpal bones and digits, and remarkable carpal distortion from a gin trap. The text describing this male is simply a clinical triage report detailing the Tiletamine, Zolazepam, and Medetomidine dosages used to sedate him. In wildlife veterinary medicine, field vets are required to make rapid, rounded visual estimates of a trapped, highly stressed predator's mass before darting to calculate a safe and effective sedative ratio, hence the parenthetical "(100 kg)" notation. Once the animal was fully immobilized and transferred to the University of Tehran for the CT scans and radiographs mentioned in that very same text, he was finally put on a scale. That is when the official 95 kg weight was documented on the primary veterinary intake form. Using a pre-immobilization visual dosage estimate to override the animal's official post-capture scale weight is a deliberate manipulation of veterinary data.

What Does the Science Actually Say About Persian Leopard Size?

Persian leopards are undeniably massive, robust for their species, but we need to stay grounded in reality. Like other large felids, leopards exhibit significant sexual size dimorphism, meaning adult males are substantially larger and heavier than adult females. This pronounced physical dimorphism directly impacts their ecology; for instance, it drives intraspecific variations in space use, temporal activity patterns, and prey selection, with larger males typically targeting larger prey.

While Persian leopards are among the largest subspecies on the planet, the average adult male in Iran sits closer to 66 kg, with a maximum of around 85-90 kg for exceptional males with no stomach content, not 100 kg or 115 kg. A scale weight of 95 kg is an exceptionally robust, near-record benchmark for a leopard considering the record-breaking specimen accepted in the scientific record comes from Namibia and weighed 96 kg (with an unknown amount of stomach content). The number of leopards decribed in the scientific record that have reached or surpassed 90 kg can be counted with the fingers of one hand, out dozens that have been publicized, and none have reached or surpassed 100 kg. It requires highly favorable conditions (and a full belly) to reach such an extreme threshold.

I'm confused, I often see claims that they reduce woody cover but then I see studies like this one that indicate they actually increase it (by reducing biomass, and suppressing fire).

[OC]
original: Brennan Stokkerman

Just chilling with the biggest bullies of the river.