A foal belonging to one of the world’s rarest species has been born at a UK zoo.
Hampshire’s Marwell Zoo welcomed the African wild ass foal, born to first-time parents Jahzahra and Lars on 5 August. The African wild ass, believed to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey, faces an extremely high risk of becoming extinct in the wild.
A Marwell spokesman said the zoo has breeding African wild asses successfully for many years, boosting numbers of the species, which has been on the critically endangered list since 1996.
(Image credit: Jason Brown Photography)
“The birth of this foal is an extremely important addition to the zoo, especially as we are only one of three collections in the UK to hold a breeding herd of African wild ass,” said Ian Goodwin, Marwell’s animal collection manager.
“We’re all very proud that mother and foal are doing so well. The African wild ass inhabit Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.There are estimated to be fewer than 600 in the wild so they are incredibly rare and they sadly face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.”
The zoo also welcomed two Hartmann’s mountain zebras, on 6 and 11 August. The breed which is mainly found in the wild in Namibia, Angola and South Africa, is classed as vulnerable to extinction on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species.
“The wild Hartmann’s mountain zebra population suffered a dramatic loss in the early 1980s due to extreme droughts. While the species has recovered to more than 30,000 individuals since then, an event similar to the one in the 1980s is increasingly likely under climate change. This could wipe out more than 30% of the wild population, making the zoo populations an important back up for the conservation of the species.”
The foals, who are yet to be named or sexed, can be seen at the site in Winchester.
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
