Mongolia is a wonderful place to visit and once you step into their country, one notable figure would be the Takh or the Przewalksi Horse. This is their national symbol and a Mongolian wild horse that was declared extinct in 1970.
As an endangered species, the Takh horses were taken out of the country thirty years ago to Germany and Netherlands and other countries in an effort to save the species.
There they were held in captivity on a breeding program that would allow them to regenerate. In addition, the scientists raced against time to find the perfect Przewalksi horse species that they could take the DNA from to preserve. Instead what they found was a beautiful 20 year old male Prezewalksi horse which had undergone a vasectomy in 1999.In an unprecedented decision, these scientists decided to reverse the vasectomy. It was to be the first time anything like this was ever considered. In 2008, the first reverse vasectomy on this species or in an animal was successfully performed. It didn’t happen overnight, In fact the year before they tried but failed.
Soon after, the species was growing and given a chance to learn how to live in the wilds. The animals went through a 3 phase process of being re-introduced into the natural habitat. The first step was encouraging more births and making sure that they survived. The second step was bringing to a semi-reserve to give them a chance to get used to being free in a larger space.
Finally, in 2000, 16 Przewalksi horses were set free and are now back home and running wild and free. They now live in protected parks and can survive the weather and predators like wolves. This inspiring success story told and retold among environmentalists will continue to motivate them that their work is never in vain. The goal is to build the population to at least 500 free Takh species . It isn’t impossible considering that in 2003, their population grew to 150.