
Kulan
Equus hemionus kulan
The kulan is a subspecies of onager, the Asian wild ass. Hunting, increased animal husbandry and infectious diseases originating from domestic animals have made it an endangered species. The donkey is the domesticated form of the African wild ass, which is a separate species.
Kulans live in large herds in the winter. In the spring, the mares form small groups around stallions. The stallions may fight fiercely for the right to mate with the females: the loser can even lose its tail. The mare gives birth to the foal in the spring, after a pregnancy of 11 months.
Conservation
This subspecies and the individuals living in Korkeasaari Zoo are part of an ex-situ conservation programme by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria EAZA, known as the EEP. The aim of the EEP is to maintain a healthy zoo population of the species.