An ambitious project initiated by a dedicated group of conservationists in 1987 to breed an animal resembling as closely as possible the quagga, has resulted in the birth of a rare Rau quagga.
The foal was born on December 14 after a 12-month gestation period, at the Vergelegen wine estate in Somerset West. It was left undisturbed to bond with the another seven quagga, but its sex has not yet been determined.
Environmental project manager at the wine estate, Eben Olderwagen, says the foal has grown and accepted by the herd.
“This youngster appears very relaxed and has been accepted as one of the herd.
“It has grown about 15cm taller in a month and has been spotted nibbling lucerne, in addition to suckling from its mother,” he said.
Olderwagen said management hopes that the quagga will continue to breed and after about two years, selected quagga will be exchanged with others in the programme. He said this will prevent in-breeding and reinforce the quest to breed quagga as near as possible to the original species.
Spokesperson of the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa, Allan Perrins says the birth of the young foal at Vergelegen wine estate in Somerset West was exciting news.
“We as the Animal Welfare Society of South Africa join the Vergelegen wine estate in congratulating them on the birth of the quagga.
“In 1993 we ourselves as the Animal Society of South Africa had a foal by the name of Paul. It did end up going to Somerset West after its time with us, we join in on the excitement with Vergelegen,” he said.
Perrins was happy that people were reviving extinct species through genetic engineering.
“As far as I know the Quagga was hunted down many years ago. It is very exciting to know that there are people whose interest is to revive extinct species through genetic engineering for those who come after us to see,” he said.
Quagga are shorter and stockier than Southern Plains zebras, with a pale brown hide and black markings, unlike the white hide and black markings of other Plains zebras. Quagga usually have stripes on the head, neck and front portion of their bodies only.
Animal lover Carol Conradie joined in the excitement but was saddened that genetic engineering was the only way to experience herds of quagga that were hunted into extinction many years ago.
“My personal opinion is that it’s an amazing feat of genetic engineering and selective breeding but it is also sad that we will never again see herds of quagga, which were hunted to extinction, roaming in the wild again,” she said.