Meet Dr. Gregg Veneklasen, the vet behind the worlds only cloned Przewalski horse

A cloned Texas horse named Kurt, born with genetic material from another horse that was cryopreserved for 40 years, has the potential to save what is thought to be the last truly wild breed, the Przewalski’s horse.  Only around 2,000 of this species remains on the planet.

On Aug. 6, 2020, the world’s first successfully cloned Przewalski’s horse was born in Texas at the veterinary facility, Timber Creek Veterinary with help from veterinarian, Dr. Gregg Veneklasen.

The foal, born to a domestic surrogate Quarterhorse mother, is a clone of a male Przewalski’s horse whose DNA was cryopreserved 40 years ago at the San Diego Zoo Global (SDZG) Frozen Zoo®. The colt’s birth revives genetic diversity that had been lost to the world and has now been recovered due to this important partnership between Revive & Restore, ViaGen Equine and San Diego Zoo Global.

The colt represents the first time this species has been cloned, and scientists indicate it could provide an important model for future conservation efforts.

“The birth of Kurt means there is hope for endangered wild species,” said Dr. Veneklasen, “rzewalski horses were close to extinct in the early 1900’s when there were less than 30 in the world. The wild population is estimated to be around 2,000 nowadays, all lacking genetic diversity.”

The new cloned foal, who will be moved to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to be integrated into a breeding herd of his species once he is older, represents a major milestone for Przewalski’s horse conservation. He was cloned from a cell line stored in the Frozen Zoo since 1980. That stallion was born in 1975 in the UK, was transferred to the US in 1978 and lived until 1998. As the new clone matures and successfully breeds, he can provide a valuable infusion of genetic diversity for the Przewalski’s horse population.

“This colt is expected to be one of the most genetically important individuals of his species,” said Bob Wiese Ph.D., chief life sciences officer at San Diego Zoo Global.  “We are hopeful that he will bring back genetic variation important for the future of the Przewalski’s horse population.”

The colt has been named “Kurt,” in honor of Kurt Benirschke, M.D., who was instrumental in founding the Frozen Zoo and the conservation research program at San Diego Zoo Global.  Kurt was born fully healthy and reproductively normal.

Formerly extinct in the wild, the Przewalski’s horse has survived for the past 40 years almost entirely in zoos around the world, and all of the surviving horses are related to 12 Przewalski’s horses born in the wild. Intensive breeding programs have helped recover the species, yet losses of genetic diversity have occurred—but those losses can now be halted, using cellular technologies such as cloning, based on the availability of living cells stored in the Frozen Zoo. 

 While ongoing reintroductions since the 1990s have established several wild herds on grasslands in China and Mongolia, maintaining genetic variation is likely to be an important part of ensuring the species’ survival in the future.  

Advanced reproductive technologies are relatively standard for domestic horses and cattle. However, there have been few attempts to work with endangered species. The successful birth of this foal demonstrates how these techniques can be used for conservation efforts, today and into the future.

Timber Creek Veterinary has worked with ViaGen Equine for over 15 years, foaling hundreds of cloned horses for clients around the world.

Przewalski's Facts from Wikipedia:

• Przewalski's horse is stockily built in comparison to domesticated horses, with shorter legs.

• Typical height is about 12–14 hands(48–56 inches, 122–142 cm), length is about 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in).

• It weighs around 300 kilograms (660 lb).

• The coat is generally dunin color with pangaré features, varying from dark brown around the mane (which stands erect) to pale brown on the flanks and yellowish-white on the belly and around the muzzle.

• The legs of Przewalski's horse are often faintly striped, also typical of primitive markings.

•  The tail is about 90 cm (35.43 in) long, with a longer dock and shorter hair than seen in domesticated horses.

• The hooves of Przewalski's horse are longer in the front and have significantly thicker sole horns than feral horses. This is beneficial, as it improves the performance of the hooves.

• The Przewalski's horse has 66 chromosomes, compared to 64 in all other horse species.