Grant's Zebra

Przewalski's wild horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) hrl 220-280cm, tl with hairs—92-111cm, shoulder height 120-146 cm, weight 200-300 kg

This type of horse has a rather thick neck and a larger head than other types of wild horses. Its face is longer with a more powerful lower jaw than other wild horses. The distinguishing features of this horse are (1)a short mane that practically stands straight up, (2) there is no hair tuft on the forehead from the mane. The coloration is also distinctive. The main body is buff-reddish-yellow to brown-yellow. The legs are brown or blackish, and the underside is gray-white. The tip of the nose is whitish.They have a dorsal stripe that is dark brown to blackish, but is not highly defined as in the zebras.

It is called a kertag in Kirghiz, a takhe in Mongolian and yema in Chinese.

The wild horses, it is thought, fed on hard grasses, which domestic horses cannot eat, yet their neigh sounds very much like that of a domestic horse. It was observed that they would go into the desert early in the morning and spend their day there. After sundown they would go their watering and grazing areas. During the winter when there was no steady source of water, they would eat snow..

They have erect manes. They appear to be grooming each other, yet they are on sentry duty looking for predators. When they groom, they nibble each other's shoulder. Then they walk past each other until the one's head is near the tail of the other. They both swish their tails, which dislodges insects from the other's neck. They will also form a line and run with their tails swishing the insects off of the face and neck of the one following close behind it.

They were formally found in Western Asia with many herds near and in Mongolia. They eat grass and leaves. Their predators are wolves. In a herd of wild horses, there is a lead stallion that protects the group. He does not hesitate to attack any intruder. When they feed, the herd faces the stallion. The stallion also moves the slower animals by shoving them or rounding them up if they spread out too much. Another protective formation is formed by the wild horses putting their heads together in a circle formation. This way they can kick at predators. This is done with the foals in the middle of the circle. Not only are they protected, but during the winter, they are kept warm by the breathing and the body heat of all the other wild horses. During summer months, this circle formation also generates much airflow to keep the insects away.