After a Utah horse rescue posted photos of a strange-looking, wild, surrendered mare and another rescuer posted photos of a similar-looking stallion, social media users and horse lovers alike began buzzing about the horses’ origins.
To say people are invested in the story of these unusual equines is an understatement.
While the mare, named “Fiona,” located at Lazy B Equine Rescue and Sanctuary, still awaits results from her DNA test, TikTok user Kinsey Huckabee posted a video just four days ago stating that she was waiting for the zoo to come to pick up “Shrek,” who was purchased from the Peabody Kill Pen in Kansas for $1200.
In TikTok comments that have now been removed and disabled, Huckabey stated that DNA results had confirmed that Shrek was 100 percent Przewalski.
Huckabay even started a fundraiser on GoFundMe looking to raise $3,500 to help treat the stallion, which they are currently unable to handle. The fundraiser has since been reduced to a $1,000 goal.
Based on the most recent posts, it looks like Shrek is going to stay with Huckabay, who wrote, “No, the government is not buying him from us … Our plan as of right now is to do what is best for Shrek.”
@kinsey_huckabay #fyp #shrektheprzewalski #przewalski #horse #foryoupage ♬ original sound – Zach Bryan Archive
No proof of Shrek’s DNA test has yet been posted to confirm his heritage, causing some to speculate why the user hasn’t provided this information.
In the meantime, other rumors began circling about the origin of both the mare and stallion, which some users say is from a group of original horses that were lost or sold.
“3 mares were sold out of a Utah kill pen a month ago,” responded one Facebook user, Tara Ann.
“They found the story about them, it was the stallion and three mares. Somehow the three mares disappeared so they presumed them dead and then the stallion also went missing. They are thinking the mare is one of the original three. No idea where they went and how they ended up where they did. It truly is wild,” wrote another user, Elizabeth Corbett.
Yet another comment on a thread about Shrek states that a group of 5 horses was shipped to the states and lost.
Although it’s well-known that zoos are actively participating in the breeding and cloning of this ancient horse, there may even be people raising Przewalski horses in the U.S.
“There’s a fellow in Eden Texas selling a stud and mare on Facebook and Craigslist 3-4 years ago. He breeds them supposedly,” shared yet another poster, Aurielle Dickerson along with a screenshot to the post.
Millar has posted most of the photos and videos of Prezwalski-type horses available. Many are advertised as crossed with Fjords, such as the video below.
In the meantime, a group of Prezewalski horses was released for the first time in nearly 200 years to Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe thanks preservation efforts by the Prague Zoo in the Czech Republic, who managed the species studbook.
The first group of seven horses was released, and another 40 are planned to be released within the next five years.
“It is quite important to have these wild horses,” said Albert Salemgareyev, lead specialist for the Association for the Conversation of Biodiversity in Kazakhstan told Reuters.
The Toronto Zoo in Ontario, Canada, has also welcomed some new Przewalski horses to the zoo. Both foals, born June 5 and June 13, can be seen in the Eurasia Drive Thru from the Zoomobile and are being observed by the zoo’s wildfire care team.
The foals will contribute to the conservation of the Pzewalski horses.
