Alerts

Please be advised that our bird aviaries are open!  

Your Toronto Zoo is committed to the health and safety of the animals in our care. We take proactive steps to protect our birds from Avian Influenza which has been confirmed in a wild bird in southern Ontario, and some birds may still be off display.

Please note Splash Island is still closed and will not open until July due to unforeseen delays in construction. Please watch for updates on https://www.torontozoo.com/tz/splash or on our social media pages. Thank you!

Please note the following animals are currently not on display due to various reasons including Avian Bird Flu, and Covid-19 sensitivity:

  • Flamingo, peacock, owl, bald eagle, and aviaries
  • Some Kids Zoo Animals
  • Cougar
  • Moose
  • Kangaroo walk through (kangaroos are still visible)
  • Axolotl

We apologize for the inconvenience!
Przewalski Horse
Przewalski Horse
Mammal

Location at the Zoo:
Eurasia
Region: Central Asia


Przewalski's horse

The head is large with a long face and muzzle. The neck is short and stumpy. The eyes are located far from the nostrils near the ears.

Length of body: 220 - 260 cm
Length of tail 80 - 110 cm
Height at shoulder: 130 - 135 cm
Weight: 200 - 300 kg

Conservation Status: IUCN




Distribution:

Extinct in the wild, used to be found in Mongolia.

Habitat:

Desert and semi-desert areas of Central Asia.

Diet:

Herbivore. Dry, tough grasses, desert shrubs and rushes, the latter available at oasis.

Reproduction:

Breeding season is May and June. Young are born in April and May after a gestation period of 328 - 343 days. There is usually a single birth, seldom twins. Foals suckle for 6-7 months.

Adaptation:

These horses can survive on desert scrub which a domestic horse would reject. They feed from dusk to dawn when the grasses contain some moisture. Herd size usually 3 - 20 led by a stallion, who defends his mares against any danger by driving them in front and defending them from the rear. Stallions will fight for leadership of the herd. These battles sometimes last many hours until the weaker horse succumbs to exhaustion.

Threats to Survival:

Man. Driven from ancestral grazing areas by domestic herds, taken by nomads to breed with domestic horses. Naturally timid, it could not compete for natural water with the domestic herds.