Przewalski’s << puhr zheh VAHL skihz >> horse is the only true wild horse that exists today. It is also called Przhevalski’s horse. Other “wild” horses, such as those found in the western United States, are actually descendants of runaway domestic horses. The Russian explorer Nikolai M. Przewalski found the skin and skull of one of these wild horses in central Asia in 1881. About 20 years later, animal collectors caught 32 colts.
Przewalski’s horse is related to the domestic horse. But it resembles a donkey. It has a grayish-brown coat. It also has a brown mane and a black streak along its back. There are faint bars on its upper legs. Its lower legs are black. Przewalski’s horse stands about 53 inches (135 centimeters) tall at the shoulder. It is an endangered species. For many years, these horses lived only in captivity. Since 1995, scientists have released hundreds of captive-bred Przewalski’s horses into the wild. The releases are part of an effort to reestablish the horses in their natural habitat. 
The scientific name of Przewalski’s horse is Equus przewalskii or Equus ferus przewalskii.
