Truly wild equines
Przewalski’s horse from the steppes of Central Asia once became extinct in the wild and has since been reintroduced to Mongolia and other areas from zoo-bred animals. The African wild ass and Asian wild asses (such as the kiang and onager) are also wild species.
Feral is not the same as wild
Free-roaming horses such as American Mustangs and Australian Brumbies descend from domestic horses that escaped or were released. Scientists call these populations feral.
How to tell them apart
Przewalski’s horses are stocky and dun-colored with an upright mane and no forelock — features that set them apart from domestic horses.
Sources
- IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — IUCN
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute — Smithsonian
By National Horse Co. Editorial Team · Checked against cited sources 2026-10-03. National Horse Co. is not affiliated with the organizations cited.