One of Werribee Zoo’s newest and rarest arrivals has been given a name fitting of her heritage.
The one-month-old female Przewalski’s horse foal, a rare animal native to western Mongolia, was born to mum Hatan on Mother’s Day.
The president of the Mongolian Association of Victoria, Bayarkhuu Purevdorj, said the community of fewer than 200 Mongolians living in and around Melbourne had named the foal Hatan – ‘‘Queen’’ in Mongolian.
“Naming her created a lot of excitement and energy,” he said. “Przewalski’s horses are incredibly important in Mongolian culture and we think the name Hatan is very fitting.”
Hatan is the second foal Mahan has given birth to on Mother’s Day, with her first born in 2012.
Przewalski’s horses were declared extinct in the wild in the 1960s but there are now about 300 living in their natural environment after a successful breeding program in zoos.
Keeper Phoebe Allen said zoo staff were excited by the new foal. “After almost losing these amazing animals, it’s wonderful to see their numbers increasing around the world,” she said.
“Hatan is such a joy. She’s very confident and inquisitive.”
