A double litter of Asian half-donkeys
Chemnitz Zoo: Two foals born in June
Chemnitz Zoo is delighted to announce the arrival of two new additions to its kulan herd: two healthy foals were born on 6 and 21 June. The mothers are the mares ‘Sansa’ and ‘Brienne’, and the sire of both foals is the stud stallion ‘Nikolaj’. The sex of the two foals has not yet been determined, as they are still following their mothers very closely and the aim is to avoid causing the animals any unnecessary stress.
Since the new stud horse arrived in Chemnitz in April 2023 from Košice Zoo in Slovakia as part of the European Conservation Breeding Programme, this is now the second consecutive litter of kulans. The stallion has integrated superbly into the herd and gets on very well with the mares. The gestation period for kulans is around eleven months.
Kulan are a type of Asian half-ass. Despite their name, they are not a cross between a horse and a donkey, but a distinct species of wild ass with characteristics of both animal groups. For example, their ears are more reminiscent of a horse’s, whilst their tail displays typical donkey characteristics.
Asian half-donkeys were once widespread across large parts of Asia. Today, only small, increasingly dwindling remnant populations remain. Kulane are considered a critically endangered subspecies. The main causes of the decline in their population are hunting, as well as increasing agricultural use and the fragmentation of their habitat.
Successful breeding in zoos makes an important contribution to the conservation of this threatened species. Chemnitz Zoo actively participates in the European conservation breeding programme and has been committed to the care and breeding of kulans for more than 50 years. During this time, young animals have been successfully reared on several occasions. With this year’s two foals, the zoo is continuing its commitment to species conservation.
Opening hours (April to September)
Chemnitz Zoo: daily 9 am to 7 pm
Oberrabenstein Wildlife Enclosure: daily 9 am to 6 pm
Last admission and ticket office closes one hour before closing time
www.tierpark-chemnitz.de
