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Ethiopia: Wild horses in danger of extinction
A Wildlife Exploratory Team composed of Italian researchers proved the existence of wild horses at a-not-so-easily accessible area atop Kundido Mountain in East Hararghe zone of the Oromia State, near the City of Harar. The wild horses however are near extinction, they warned.
The team coordinated by Prof. Marco Vigano, a resident in Addis Ababa, took it to the area in a weeklong exploratory trip during which they came up on one of the few remaining wild horses, they told ENA on Wednesday. For evidence, they were able to capture this wild horse with a video camera, according to the Professor who gave a copy of the videotape to ENA for publication.

The team warned that the wild horses, 11 in all as they said have been told by local wildlife experts, can go extinct in a short period of time now unless immediate action will be taken to protect them.

“Of course there is nothing incredible about the existence of the wild horses on the mountain. The Voice of America had made a program about the wild horses 23 years ago. But (we) have not heard much about them since then”, said Prof. Vigano.

He said the group is not the first to see the wild horses on the mountain but it is the first trying to promote them.

-Voice-

"We are not the first to see them. People know about them. But we are probably the first to realize their value. Their value for Ethiopia in terms of tourist attraction is magic”

Wild horses only exist in some Asian countries, North Africa and Namibia, he said. What distinguishes the wild horses of the Kundido Mountain, though, is that the latter can be described truly wild, said.

According to the researchers, the wild horses of Kundido had never been domesticated, unlike those in Namibia. The wild horses of the Kundido Mountain have roamed the wilderness of Ethiopia at least for 200 years as it is recorded historically.

However, Prof.Vigano said these wild horses are on the verge of extinction due to increasing expansion of human settlements towards the area the horses have inhabitted since so long. Their value remaining in the wild would be far greater than if they were domesticated, he noted.

The researchers said the government, investors, community and other pertinent bodies should attach due attention to do something to protect the Kundido wild horses from extinction, he said and indicated that controlling the expanding settlement should be one of such measures.

Particularly, investors can establish wild horses’ sanctuary on the mountain and thereby help their population to increase naturally, which should eventually attract tourists.

The researchers on their part said they will try their best to promote the wild horses of Ethiopia via international media.


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