Editor's note: As protection of the planet's flora, fauna and resources becomes increasingly important, China Daily is publishing a series of stories to illustrate the country's commitment to safeguarding the natural world.

Forty years after China launched the "Wild Horse Return Program", the Przewalski's horse — the world's only surviving wild horse species — has completed a historic transition from being on the brink of extinction to there being self-sustaining wild herds in Northwest China.

The population of Przewalski's horses in China has surpassed 900 individuals, accounting for approximately one-third of the global total, according to figures released during an event to mark the 40th anniversary of the species' reintroduction.

The milestone follows decades of conservation under the "Wild Horse Return Program", an initiative launched in 1985 to restore the species that was declared extinct in the wild during the 1970s due to poaching and habitat loss. The recovery has successfully transitioned the "living fossil" — which possesses an evolutionary history of 60 million years — from captive breeding to self-sustaining wild herds.

The program reintroduced the species from overseas and established breeding bases in China.

The rare horse has become a flagship symbol of ecological restoration and a recent cultural icon that inspired the creation of "Chengcheng", the mascot for the 2026 Year of the Horse Spring Festival Gala.

A critical phase of the rewilding process took place at the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve in Gansu province. Zhang Qiangwei, director of the Gansu Endangered Animal Protection Center, located in Gansu's Wuwei city, said 56 trained horses were released into the reserve between 2010 and 2025. The area's ecological conditions, including unfrozen springs and snow-free grasslands, have allowed the animals to adapt.

Wang Hongjun, head of the center's wildlife management department, said the center currently cares for 45 individuals, with one-quarter being sub-adults. "Around six foals are expected in 2026. We aim to build a healthy population with stable generational succession," Wang said.

The program reached a technical peak last year with China's largest long-distance relocation operation. Led by professor Hu Defu of Beijing Forestry University, the mission transported 28 horses over 1,030 kilometers from the center in Wuwei to the reserve in Dunhuang using a pioneering "loose transport" method. Unlike traditional anesthetized crating, which often results in casualties, the 2025 operation achieved zero fatalities.

So far, the center has bred, relocated and released over 300 horses. By September last year, the reserve's population had surpassed 200, forming 28 herds.

To support this growth, the center has modernized its infrastructure, including building a 6.67-hectare breeding base, an 800-square-meter forage storage facility, automated watering systems and high-definition monitoring networks. "Improving facilities, monitoring, nutrition and managing genetic diversity has laid a solid foundation for future population growth," Wang said.

Zhao Xumao, a professor at Lanzhou University's College of Ecology, said, "The successful breeding and reintroduction highlight the country's resolve to protect biodiversity and promote harmony between humans and nature."

Jiang Xue contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at huyumeng@chinadaily.com.cn