EIGHT WILD horses flew from Munich through Frankfurt to Almaty last month. On arrival they continued their journey to the Altyn Emel national park in Kazakhstan. Their air transport to their new destination was organised by Lufthansa Cargo, in co-operation with Bavarian Radio and Munich’s Hellabrunn Zoo. “Re-introduction of animals into the wild is an activity held in high esteem at Lufthansa Cargo. In addition to regular animal transports aboard our freighters, we have for years supported selected projects designed to help animal species survive,” said Marcus Niedermeyer, the cargo carrier’s vice president product management. This breed of wild horses was discovered in Mongolia, their last habitat, in the late 1870s. However, they have been considered extinct there since 1970. A few of their descendants have survived in zoos and at breeding establishments. Alongside the zebra, this breed, known as Przewalski, is the only truly wild horse and the only living ancestor of the domesticated horse, which has influenced human culture and development more than any other animal. Przewalski horses, about the size of a pony and only 1,5 metres tall, must quickly acquire the characteristics that will allow them to survive in the wild.
