SOUTH Africa's world-famous quagga project breeding programme - a species which has been extinct since the last quagga in the world died in the Amsterdam Zoo in 1883 - has received a boost.
The breeding of a new species is one step closer following the signing of an agreement between South African National Parks (SANP) and the Quagga Project Association.
The quagga project hopes to breed a population of the rare plains zebra - which is very close in appearance (smaller and less stripes) and has genetic links to the extinct quagga.
In terms of the latest agreement, SANP will make available to the quagga project certain selected plains zebras with quagga-like characteristics in some of the national parks for inclusion into the breeding programme.
"Besides contributing knowledge, expertise and habitat for animals into the breeding programme, SANP undertakes to bear the cost of capture and transport of these animals in any translocations," says Mavuso Msimang, SANP's chief executive officer.
He says a number of project zebras have already been translocated to the Karoo National Park at Beaufort West (Western Cape) and the Addo Elephant National Park near Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape).
Of the present population of 70 project zebras, two second-generation animals - one being raised near Wellington in the Western Cape and the other at the Groote Schuur Estate in the Cape Peninsula National Park - bear the closest resemblance to the quagga. These will be mated as soon as both are old enough.
(Adéle Mackenzie)
