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Vergelegen wine property in Somerset West is celebrating the delivery of a younger ‘Rau’ quagga, a uncommon zebra sub-species.
The arrival of the wholesome teenager is a milestone in an formidable mission, initiated by a devoted group of conservationists in 1987, to breed an animal resembling as carefully as attainable the quagga. This animal was hunted to extinction within the second half of the nineteenth century and the final recognized mare died in Amsterdam Zoo in 1883.
Learn: Can the quagga be resurrected? Half I: The origin story
The younger Vergelegen foal was born on 14 December after a 12-month gestation interval. It was left undisturbed to bond with the opposite seven quaggas and is but to be decided.
‘This teenager seems very relaxed and has been accepted as one of many herd,’ says Eben Olderwagen, Environmental Venture Supervisor on the 323-year-old property. ‘It has grown about 15cm taller in a month and has been noticed nibbling lucerne, along with suckling from its mom.’
The quagga was shorter and stockier than Southern Plains zebras, with a pale brown conceal and black markings, in contrast to the white conceal and black markings of different Plains zebras. Quagga normally had stripes on the top, neck and entrance portion of their our bodies solely.
Olderwagen says administration hopes that this founder herd at Vergelegen will proceed to breed and, after about two years, chosen quagga will likely be exchanged with others within the programme. This may forestall in-breeding and reinforce the hunt to breed quagga as close to as attainable to the unique species.
Guests have the chance to identify the quagga by reserving a spot on the property’s standard guided sport drives. These take guests via the Vergelegen nature reserve, with attainable sightings of the property’s Nguni cattle, bontebok, quagga and 5 elands.
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Footage: Provided
ALSO READ: The Quagga Venture Half II: 35 years on
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