A Second Herd of Tarpans Left for the Eastern Rhodopes

On October 4^th, a second herd of wild horses Tarpans left from Gelderse Poort, The Netherlands to Bulgaria. 30 Tarpans are on their way to the Eastern Rhodopes where in September 2011, the first ever in Bulgaria Tarpans have been reintroduced.

The reintroduction of Tarpans in Bulgaria is one of the most successful activities of the Bulgarian-Dutch project New Thracian Gold. The Tarpans is a rebreed of wild horses that have lived hundreds of years ago in Europe. Their role in Eastern Rhodopean nature is the same as in ancient times and currently in the Netherlands: to graze the wild vegetation, to mould the wilderness, keep it open and to support a natural ecosystem.

The first group of Tarpans is doing very well in area of the abandoned village of Sbor, Krumovgrad Municipality. The second will be adapted to the nature of Eastern Rhodopes, as well: in the big wilderness teritorry in Natura 2000 area Studen kladenetz. With this second group the genetic diversity of the species in the Eastern Rhodopes will increase and in a long term perspective will secure the stability of the population in Bulgaria.

See here photos

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