Przewalkski's horse brought back home to Russia's wild grasslands

The species is being reintroduced to their original habitat after 20 years of extinction in the wild

Nadia Beard Moscow 

Monday 7 March 2016

In the vast swathes of Russia’s steppe near the border with Kazakhstan, six light-brown horses traipse the snow-covered fields as a security unit watches over them, providing protection from poachers and intruders. With spiky manes and a stocky build, they are Przewalski’s horses, the species being reintroduced to their original habitat after 20 years of extinction in the wild.

First born in the south of France before travelling by plane to Russia’s Orenburg nature reserves, the six are all that remains of the original 10 expected to make the flight across Europe to their new home. Four of the horses refused “flat out”, said Rafilya Bakirova, director of the reserve that hosts the Orenburg programme, Russia’s flagship reintroduction project for the species. Their wild nature was understood immediately, she says, after the four stubborn horses began to fight so fiercely that serious damage to their health was feared. 

Read on ...

One armed orangutan released back into forest after rehabilitation

Pelansi, the Bornean orangutan who lost his hand after being caught in a snare, is given the gift of freedom for Christmas.

December 2012. A young male orangutan that spent several days trapped in a snare resulting in the amputation of his right hand and half his arm, has been released back into the forests of West Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo after months of treatment and rehabilitation.

Original forest now a palm oil plantation
A team from International Animal Rescue Indonesia (Yayasan IAR Indonesia) and the Agency for Natural Resources Conservation (BKSDA) Ketapang have released Pelansi in Pematang Gadung forest. As his original home in the forest has been completely destroyed and converted into palm plantations, Pelansi has had to be reintroduced into a different area. After the release, a team of experts will follow and monitor Pelansi closely to see how he is coping with his disability.

Pematang Gadung is one of the forests in Ketapang Regency with the richest biodiversity. Many endangered species can be found in the forest which is patrolled and monitored by a volunteer group of local villagers from the community of Pematang Gadung. Yet this area is not currently officially protected. "With the release of this orangutan and by raising awareness of the condition of orangutans and their habitat in Ketapang, we also hope that Pematang Gadung will be given the protected status that it deserves" states Adi Irawan, Manager of the International Animal Rescue programme in Ketapang.

Read more:  http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/orangutan-rehabilitation.html