site.btaFirst Konik Foals for Spring 2024 Spotted in Eastern Rhodopes

The first Konik foals for this spring have been observed in the Eastern Rhodope Mountains, the Rewilding Rhodopes foundation said on its Facebook page on Wednesday. These wild horses are a recovery of the Tarpan (Equus ferus ferus), a subspecies of wild horse which went extinct in the early 20th century.

There are just over 4,000 Konik horses in the world, and the Eastern Rhodope Mountains is the only place in Bulgaria they can be found. Thanks to reintroduction efforts, there are now over 80 individuals in the Eastern Rhodopes, according to information on the Rewilding Rhodopes foundation's website.

The Tarpan look-a-like horses were reintroduced in Bulgaria within the New Thracian Gold project through Polish Tarpan re-breeding projects. In September 2011, the first twelve horses were brought from the Netherlands to Bulgaria by the ARK Foundation, and these settled successfully in the Rhodope Mountains. Three years later, a second herd of 35 animals was released in the same area, which was declared a new rewilding area in the Rewilding Europe nongovernmental organization's initiative.

The Konik help restore natural ecosystems by grazing on wild vegetation. They are known for their resilience and adaptability to the harsh conditions of semi-open landscapes.