Cheval de Przewalski: l'Espèce Miraculée - Documentaire animalier - HD - FLC

The Przewalski horse is a miracle horse. Considered extinct in the wild in 1969, its species was reconstituted from the last 12 survivors, kept in various zoos. Przewalski horses were reintroduced in Mongolia. Today, they live in the Mongol steppes again. They also live in France, the Plateaux des Cévennes or the Monts d'Azur. But suddenly, we discover in these Przewalski horses' skulls a serious anomaly. A mysterious evil that could once again threaten this species, just reconstituted. Small, ragged, white belly, long ears, high eyes placed on a flat forehead, the short mane straightened in a brush, barely awakened from its eternity, the Przewalski horse, ardent and ferocious, is today the last wild horse ever domesticated by man and still alive in freedom. In the country of the Echidnas, it shares this privilege with the zebras, which it sometimes has in common with a few stripes on its paws, with the last wild donkeys of Africa, and with those of Asia, the Hemions. Its beige dress with darker extremities allows it to melt easily in the steppe landscapes. The Institute of Sciences is the evolution of Montpellier. The young paleontologist Laure Danilo works on the evolution of horses, in particular by comparing them to fossils 35 to 55 million years old. She is particularly interested in the internal structure of the skull, the encephalic and the inner ear. It is by sculpting these skulls from all angles that Laure Danilo will reveal a morphological anomaly totally unexpected, a malformation of the bones of the face of the skull. She will realize that 92% of the horses that have died for 20 years are affected by this dramatic anomaly, a facial asymmetry. Here is the skull of a Przewalski horse, in three dimensions. When we place a rule along this line, we see that on this skull we have a deviation to the right of the bones that are here, and we see, in particular, a denture that is diagonal instead of being flat, so an irregular denture which is caused by this facial asymmetry. It follows that the upper and lower teeth no longer face each other correctly. This apparently banal asymmetry is actually very serious, even fatal. It causes the abnormal wear of the teeth, a wear that increases when the horse brays. As he does it 14 hours a day, this asymmetry reduces his life expectancy by half. This is terrible news for this species, just rescued and still so fragile. But where does this strange evil come from? In 1879, Colonel Nikolai Mikhailovich Przewalski, a Russian explorer, discovers in Dzungary, in the mountains that border the Gobi Desert, an unknown wild horse, which will be named Przewalski. The success is immediate. Many amateurs, zoos and private parks rush on this curiosity. Everyone wants his copy. In 1901, for example, 52 hens were captured, and as they are wild and recalcitrant, only 28 of these hens will arrive alive in Europe. In the Gobi Desert, Przewalski's last horse was spotted in 1969. Barely half a century of blindness will suffice to cause the extinction of the species. It is in the Netherlands that salvation will come. A couple of Dutchmen, Jan and Inge Boeman, upset by a Przewalski mortifying himself on the concrete of his zoo in Prague, decide to give his freedom to the species. A reproduction program is set up. The animals are collected in the main European zoos, and about 15 years later, on the ground of Mongolia, the first Przewalski make their return. We are in 1992. Then 84 horses will make the trip in 10 years. In the National Park of Ustaj, there are now 250. So it is from the territory where he took refuge, far from the men who chased him from Europe and the rest of the world, that Przewalski's horse ends up being reborn, the Mongolia. This almost incredible story explains the causes of the evil that affects the species today. All cousins, since all come from this small dozen of miraculously conserved individuals, Przewalski's horses are victims of a heavy consanguinity, the facial asymmetry. Can we save Przewalski's horse again? The solution would be to create horse communities isolated from each other. Over the generations, these horses evolved separately, developing their own genetic peculiarities through mutations. In Spain, in San Sebrián de Muda, there is a vast reserve where this plan could be carried out. Sébastien Carton de Gramont is associated with this hope. He leads the association TAC, which for 20 years, under the impulse of Claudia Fay, fights for the defense of Przewalski's horses. An association that has already successfully organized two horse transfers to Mongolia. On the steppes of the Mejan Coast, in the Sevennes, 39 horses share today the 400 hectares of the reserve. As each horse needs 10 hectares to feed itself properly, the maximum capacity is now reached. A transfer to Spain of a few horses of Przewalski is doubled. In Villaray, there are three family groups each made up of about ten individuals. A dominant stallion, three or four pairs, and their offspring form these families that live side by side, but without mixing. The 11 single stallions stand apart and fight for the only single pair currently available. They also quarrel with convoitises over the three families who would like to live peacefully. Sébastien envisages, to relieve these tensions which can become dangerous, to send three or four of these stallions as scouts to Spain. If their adaptation succeeds on this new territory, Przewalski will be able to pack their stables. When they become adults, about three or four years old, the stallions, males and females, will be driven out of the group. They will have to find a partner elsewhere to found their own family. Any risk of incest is thus naturally removed. The blood of Przewalski's horses must be regenerated in order to reduce their consanguinity. Time is counted. In order to promote their genetic evolution. Sébastien knows all this, but the departure of these animals causes him a tear. He has seen each one of them born here and he measures the risks for them of such an operation. These are wild horses, very wild. They are not moved as easily as domestic animals. The time of the capture has come. An enclosure is opened where the greener and denser grass and a little water and salt will further stimulate their conviction. The next day, Sébastien just has to close the trap. It's a small group of four-stallion males. It's a bit of a preliminary step while waiting to send a whole family. It's always a delicate period. Horses tend to stress a lot from the moment they are locked up. Angoulevent, the oldest of the stallions but also the most fussy, doesn't hear it from his ear. He takes a younger and quieter stallion to Havène. The horses don't calm down. Sébastien must make a decision before he gets exhausted or injured. Angoulevent could injure Havène. He must protect the latter. So he won't be part of the trip. The candidates must agree to face in the best conditions to avoid the depopulation that awaits them. Angoulevent, 13, will be accompanied by Sarine and Apollon, two four-year-old stallions. It's a serene trio that Sébastien can lead to the starting enclosure. No animosity between them. It's the essential condition for the success of the operation. In a few days, Angoulevent, Sarine and Apollon will leave the Cosmé-Jean to cross the Pyrenees. The fate of Przewalski's horses lies largely in Ulaanbaatar and in the whole of Mongolia. The country of Genghis Khan is the almost eternal homeland of the horse. Less than a hundred kilometres from the capital, the National Park of Ustai offers Przewalski's horses these huge stretches of steppes that sometimes cross a few alignments of boulders. Namkhai Bandi, now director of this reserve that he has known since its creation, shows us images of Przewalski's horses, those of the Tak Association. These are wild horses from France. The fight against consanguinity involves a close collaboration between the different conservation centres. Namkhai Bandi himself practiced the diversification of genetic strains by sending 70 of his horses to the Takintal, another region of Mongolia in the Gobi Desert. A very rough winter unfortunately weakened the displaced herd. In the future, the horses of Mongolia will be able to join those of Europe and vice versa. On the Mejan Coast, it is the eve of the big day. Sébastien bichonnes the candidates at the start to better prepare them for the test that awaits them. In normal times, he intervenes as little as possible. The horses have to manage on their own. They only have a little water at their disposal because no river crosses the coast. For the candidates at the start, it is different. They need a little foraging to gain strength in this harsh winter. I'll have at least two that get along well. It will be more peaceful in Spain. Sébastien is worried. The night may be long. That morning is the day of departure. A whole team has come to lend a helping hand to Sébastien. Przewalski's horses are wild animals and their transport, if they get stuck and stumble, can turn into a disaster. The people in charge of the Spanish reserve have come to look for their future pensioners. The road trip will be long. The horses will have to be patient. They must avoid any stress that may compromise the operation. Unlike what would be done for domestic horses, the horses will have to feed the animals to be able to install them in the truck. We have to wait for the anesthesia to take effect. Sébastien remains vigilant. Angoulevent is a force of nature. He resists anesthesia. Sébastien worries about his protégé. Angoulevent struggles like a madman against drowsiness. If the dose has to be increased, it's the only way to get through. Angoulevent, Sarine and Apollon are finally ready to hit the road to Spain. A lot of hope rests on them. If they adapt to their new environment, it will be possible to send a whole family. Another Przewalski horse colony will be born in Spain. Great hope and an essential strategy to fight drowsiness. Another territory, another biotope, another climate will favor a different genetic evolution over time. Sébastien sees his protégés crowding the Spanish soil for the first time. A temporary enclosure of 200 hectares awaits them. Time to adapt to these new places. But this project concerns a huge wild territory. No less than 700,000 hectares available for thousands of Przewalski horses. It remains to be seen how the horses of the Cosmejan will react. Will Angoulevent, Sarine and Apollon have the ability to adapt to this new territory? When Przewalski's first horses returned to Mongolia, their adaptation to the climate and to the territory was done without too much difficulty. But coming from zoos where they had totally lost their social organization, these wild animals were unable to regain their natural instincts. Even the animals of the next generation are still struggling to cohabit. At dusk, the groups meet on the way to the water points. The competing stallions exhaust their energy in disorder, fights and clashes that prevent them from fulfilling their role, reproducing and structuring the groups. The family structures of the horses are therefore damaged. Some groups are constantly fighting. And in this context of aggression, cases of infanticide can occur, the loss of a chicken is always a catastrophe. Nour is a victim of this social disorganization. Her heels fought to appropriate a pair that could not come back to her. During a disordered fight, she received a terrible blow to her skin. Her fractured leg re-wound as she could. Since then, her difficult approach has forbidden her any hope of founding a family. No harem is possible for him and it is still a heavy loss for Przewalski's horses. For each stallion put out of order to reproduce, there are many chickens that will never see the light of day. For four years, Nour has bravely walked her boxy figure in the immense steppes and seems condemned to absolute solitude. In similar circumstances, Ouve has been disfigured. His craniated box translates the violence of the shock. Ouve did not give up, however, to found her own family. In Spain, in San Sebrián de Muda, Sébastien is about to leave his Przewalski horses. They seem to be fine with this new territory and show no signs of anxiety. Their cohesion is an encouraging sign. I think they will be okay. They will eat well. I think it's a good place. Fernando Moran, the Spanish director of the reserve, will watch over Angoulevent, Sarin and Apollon. Sébastien, on the other hand, will resume the path of the Sévènnes. The Sévènnes. In this region, a drama has just taken place. A young animal from the Sévènnes Park has been told of an attack and death by a domestic chicken. The autopsy report leaves no doubt. A wolf has entered the Sévènnes. The portrait of the attacker, as shown on the cameras of the National Park, is quickly released. The low tail, round ears and white labial mask confirm that it is indeed a wolf, In the Fichade area, the victim's breeder takes precautions. At night, he shelters his sheep, his chickens and his horses. But during the day, it is necessary to find a way to dissuade the predator from approaching the pureblood so vulnerable, and in the event of an emergency, the horses of Przewalski. For the authorities, it is necessary to accept the wolf while protecting the farmers, who are part of the heritage of the Cévennes. For cohabitation to be possible between wolves and breeders, the National Park then offers a new device that Sandrine Descaves will install near the enclosure of the pureblood. It is a radio that emits at regular intervals, simulating the human presence, and which will dissuade the wolf from approaching its prey. Przewalski's horses, which fight on the ridge, can only rely on their own defense techniques. They must therefore regain their instincts and their natural social organization. How to do after all these years spent in zoos? A man, Patrice Longour, may have the solution. Not far from Nice, in his reserve of the Monts d'Azur, an idea makes its way to him. A species in a zoo is a carnal envelope. We keep an envelope. We do not keep a species because in a zoo we lose half of a species because we lose all social behavior. It is an integral part of the species. Patrice Longour's idea would be that Przewalski's horses regain their cohesion and their collective instincts in opposition to other species, those that lived near their ancestors. But what was the ecosystem of these ancestors? In the collective imagination, Przewalski's horse is close to the equidae who served as models to the Homo sapiens of the Paleolithic for their rupestrious paintings. Some ancestral aspects of its morphology lead to the idea that it has closely associated the deer and bison represented on the vaults of the Lascaux caves. They seem of the same color, have the same type of straight mane, as well as a dark hairline along its vertebral column called the mullet mane. It has the same musocle. The truth may be lost in the night of prehistoric times. In the world of azure, I am Patrice Longour, now the world is mixing to enrich itself better. Deer, bison, wild boars will now go alongside Przewalski's horses and we hope to weld them against them. Some predict conflicts, violence, injuries. But it is precisely on this confrontation that Patrice Longour lays his hopes. To understand how these species will confront each other, he relies on the work of Olivier Dufour and Hervé Glottin, two bioacousticians from the University of Toulon. In the past, they surveyed the seabed and captured the sound tracks that denote the modes of coexistence of dolphins, whales and jackals. The same methods could apply to Przewalski's horses. We could make relative measurements of these acoustic levels from one species to another to see if they are competing in the field of acoustics. Yes, Mr Longour would be very interested because he would like to demonstrate... A first, because these acoustic studies have never been carried out in the terrestrial environment on mammals. It is a question of constantly recording, for eight days, all the sounds emitted by the different species of the Monts d'Azur. In this way, we will be able to decrypt the interactions between horses, bison and deer. The reserve is this pavement. I think we're going to get halfway up there. We're in the 1,400-metre zone. The one we see up there. The technical challenge here will be the following. We can't put them on the ground because between the deer, the deer and the bison, we may find this, I would say, largely in pieces, especially since there is a great curiosity of the animals. The animals will be placed on eaves thanks to the devices imagined by the bioacousticians. A microphone is connected to a memory card and powered by a battery. Olivier and Patrice will choose in the reserve a suitable place for these recordings, a place placed on the passage of the different species. Their choice is fixed between the forest in the plain and the leisure of the two. In the fork there? Here, we build the box here. And who is going up there? It's me. We are not primates for nothing. Before climbing into this oak, which appears to be an excellent observation point, Olivier and Patrice will proceed to the last tests. The intensity of the microphone must also be adjusted to obtain good quality recordings. Yes. Something more serious. A little whistling now, please. Weaker. Yes, very good. Something more serious, please. Do you think that in terms of sound intensity, we are in the Brahms range? No, it's much less loud. It's stronger. Go on, repeat, please. Again. If Patrice Longour is ready to play, it is because he measures the stakes of the experience. He understands that it offers him the best way to study the interactions between species, because no human presence will disturb them. He will then know if his intuition was good. Do you feel it? Yes, yes, yes. We will proceed to eight days of continuous recording over a range of about a hundred meters with a 360-degree microphone. At the University of Toulon, the software analyzes the recordings. Specific sound signals have been detected and identified. We hear several deer playing. Olivier Dufour and Hervé Glottin now have all the necessary information. They can detect, by analyzing the sound signals, the fears, the aggressiveness, hear the escape or the renunciation, understand the calls for help and the screams of alarm. All this language will allow them, with the complicity of the ecologists, to judge the interactions between species. They will be able to establish that the cohesion of horses is strengthened in the face of adversarial species. In Mongolia and France, deer live with Przewalski's horses. This cohabitation plays in favor of the wildness of horses. Outside the national park of Oostaï, vast plains spread out where the eye can only see the mountains of the Altai range. As is often the case in Mongolia, nomads live here with their large herds. For Undur Byamba and his family, the horse is a real tradition. It is first of all the ideal means of transport in these endless steppes. The Mongolian horse, resistant, willing and tireless, can travel long distances. 60 km a day is not scary for him. He helped Genghis Khan to build one of the largest empires of all time. The Mongolian horse also provides meat and camel milk. This, fermented, will give the airag, which the Mongols feed on. It also provides the leather used to build yurts. Finally, its dried rye acts as fuel in this country where forests are rare and winters long and rough. This is why, once a year, it is held at the national level in large races where people compete and where the prowess of the horsemen and their mounts is a very famous spectacle. It is also the country that has the most horses per inhabitant in the world. Mongolia is without question the homeland of the horse. However, around the national park of Ustal, this proximity poses a new threat to Przewalski's horses. Indeed, domestic horses live in semi-freedom on their territory. This is the case of Algan. Three times, Undur-Biamba came to look for among the wild horses, his fiery horse. Despite the many kilometers that separate them, Algan left three times to his friends, Przewalski's horses. Three times, he joined the same family group. Since then, Algan has had happy days in the family of adoption he chose. If Algan is not a risk for Przewalski's horses, it is because he was castrated. Indeed, the leaders of the national park fear above all that domestic horses come to hybridize with wild horses. This is how Undur-Biamba lost his domestic horse. Domestic horses are therefore undesirable. In a few generations, their blood could degenerate that of Przewalski's horses. Domestic horses and Przewalski's are inter-fertile and can give birth to infertile hens. For the Przewalski's, it would ultimately lose their identity. In the past, nomads encouraged these mixtures in order to add to their domestic horses qualities that a new blood from elsewhere contributed to develop. Today, to preserve Przewalski's horses in their specificity, each reported intrusion provokes the immediate intervention of the guards. Each time, they have to reluctantly drive them out of the park. This is the only solution in the absence of closure. One morning, in early winter, Namcaj Bandi and his driver make their inspection tour aboard their Soviet-made off-road vehicle, a UAZ. A winter that begins from September to June and can reach temperatures up to minus 40 degrees. But Przewalski's horses are robust and can resist these extreme conditions. When the snow comes, they will go to get the grass they cover. That day, unexpectedly, unusually, they lie on the ground. However, in the event of a danger, the horses sleep standing up, ready to defend themselves, able to react immediately. The fact that they are lying down marks a strong sense of security. What happened to make them so ostensibly confident? Their attitude intrigues Namcaj Bandi, who knows his horses well. He decides to continue to observe this group. The surprise that awaits him is a lonely stallion lurking on a family group. The dominant stallion of this family, Karanga, sets out to dissuade this disturber. From a decided hole, he meets the aggressor. A terrible clash is expected. But just what it takes to intimidate to get the message across. Then, a crotin of markings in good shape to border the territory under the discreet gaze of the invader. The posture of the head, the frank neckline, this swing of pride are the signs of a well-done job. Karanga can then turn to his group, confident and sure of himself. Mission accomplished. All he has to do is gather his group. His authority is not discussed. It's a fantastic news for the director of the park. Austai, a stallion, master of his art, now reigns over his family group. The long-awaited appeasement has just happened. And it is safe today that Namkhai Bendi can continue his inspection tour. If a horse has managed to regain his instincts in such a perfect way, others will surely do the same. The future is smiling again for his Przewalski horses. Lourdes, who was thought to be doomed to loneliness, has found a companion of misfortune. Her calvary will probably be lightened. A good surprise also for Ouvre. Despite his dark face and his pathetic appearance, he has managed to find a mate. He makes sure not to let her go. When she looks towards a group she would like to join, he displays the panoply of the service-jealous. Here again, a mark to signify who is the master of the place. Then, with his head on the ground, he follows the mate, ready to put her back on the right track. He has given himself a lot of trouble to have a mate, and he has no intention of letting her go. Przewalski's horses, the ravages of consanguinity, whether direct or indirect, many have fought, and others are still fighting. In Mongolia, in the Netherlands, in France, in Spain today. Hope is coming. The future is emerging from the shadows still hovering over his miraculous horses. They may soon be definitely saved.