Internship in Kazakhstan

Annual Meeting of the “Friends of the Wild Horse”

In May the “Friends of the Wild Horse” gathered for their annual meeting at “Naturmuseum Olten” in Switzerland. After a guided tour through the exhibition “tick-tack, the countdown of life”, Christian Stauffer, president of the “Friends of the Wildhorse”, opened the meeting.
The main goal of the association is to support the International Takhi Group – therefore a big thank went to all members for their continuos support. Christian Stauffer expressed a special thank to the “Jean-Pierre and Sonja Siegfried Stiftung“, of which Andreas and Sascha Siegfried attended the meeting. Among other themes, Christian Stauffer informed about the Takhi population, the gazelle-research in the Gobi B, the future administration center of Altai of Khovd and the socio-economic projects. He highlighted the nomination of the Gobi Area in Mongolia as a UNESCO World Heritage zone and expressed the hope, that this special protection of this area will succeed.
Treasurer Rebekka Blumer explained the annual financial statements and pointed out, that membership and donation contributions were higher than in the previous year.
For more information read the protocol (in german).

New Takhi Post

In the heart of Asia lies a natural wonder of incredible beauty and vastness – the Great Gobi. A landscape as big as one and a half times the size of Switzerland, rugged and yet fragile. It is home to the last wild camels on earth, the rare Gobi bears and the returning Przewalski’s horses – Takhi, once extinct, now a beacon of hope.

This unique landscape owes its survival to a courageous decision made in 1975, when Mongolia placed its Gobi under strict protection. An act of visionary foresight. But danger is looming: a planned road through the heart of the Gobi A could mean the end for its last great inhabitants.

Read more about this in our latest Takhi Post.

The first Takhi foal of the year

The first foal of the year was born on April 13 at the Great Gobi B SPA in the harem of Noyon. The mare’s name is Khishigt. Each of these Takhi foals makes us smile and confirms that the work we do to protect the wild horses is of great importance.

50 Years of the Great Gobi B SPA

Within the framework of the 50th anniversary of the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area, a scientific conference was successfully held on April 4, 2025. Researchers presented a wide range of fascinating studies, including research on local fauna, flora, oases, experimental efforts in natural habitat restoration and aquatic insects.

Among the presentations was a study on Przewalski’s horses in the Great Gobi B SPA, delivered by former Director Ganbaatar and biologist Ankhzaya of the International Takhi Group (ITG).

The conference was opened by D. Battsogt, Director of the Policy Implementation of Protected Areas at the MECC, as well as GGA SPA Director Ch. Bayarbat and GGB SPA Director N. Altansukh, who each delivered opening remarks.
Great thanks were addressed to Professor Samiyaa for organizing this conference, and to the staff of the Protected Area Administration, researchers from the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, representatives of NGOs, as well as university faculty and researchers who participated in this event.

Milestone achieved

The Mongolian Gobi is one step closer to becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

The nomination has successfully passed UNESCO’s completeness check. It now moves on to a detailed expert review. The extraordinary landscape of the Mongolian Gobi protects unique species such as the Takhi (Przewalski’s horse), the Gobi bear, and the wild camel.

Together with the Government of Mongolia, the International Takhi Group and other partners, the Michael Succow Foundation has advanced the nomination for the Gobi Desert. The path to UNESCO’s final decision will take time, but we are optimistic that the Gobi Desert will be added to the World Heritage List in 2027.

Webinar series “Window into Wild Lives”

Our interactive webinar series about the Przewalski horses and their home, the Dzungarian Gobi, starts on April 1. The course content will be presented by experts from Mongolia and Europe and can be accessed at any time. Registration is possible at any time. The course fee is 150,- EUR (discount for students).

Find out more here.

ITG Workshop 2025

Our annual ITG workshop took place in mid-January at the Bruderhaus Wildlife Park in Winterthur. Participants from Mongolia, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and the Netherlands gave exciting presentations and held intensive discussions about the activities planned for this year.

Window into Wild Lives Webinar Series

This course aims not only to educate, but also to encourage people to engage with the stories of the wild horse and the rich diversity of life in the strictly protected area of the Great Gobi B, highlighting our shared responsibility to protect these remarkable animals and their habitat.

Here you can find a trailer for the webinar.

The webinar starts in April. The participation fee of 150,- EUR will directly benefit the wild horses.

Registration is possible here .