A visitor center for the second Przewalski horse breeding farm in Russia will open in Khakassia.

      On September 10, 2026, a visitor center will open in the Khakassky Reserve, marking the second reintroduction center for the Przewalski's horse in Russia—a rare wild species that scientists are re-establishing in areas where it previously disappeared. The project received financial support from VTB.

      The visitor center will be located in the "Kamizyak Steppe with Lake Ulukh-Kol" area of the reserve, where a semi-wild population of Przewalski's horses is being formed: the animals live not in the wild but in a large enclosed area that closely resembles their natural habitat. Currently, eight wild horses live in the center, divided into two family groups—with stallions named Yoda and Shaman. In 2026, two mares gave birth to foals.

      The exhibition at the visitor center tells about the program for returning Przewalski's horses to the wild, the natural zone "Great Steppe" and its inhabitants, the evolution of horses, the history of the species, and the work of reintroduction centers in Russia and other countries, as well as the traveler and researcher Nikolai Przewalski. Part of the exhibition is interactive: visitors can smell the scents of steppe grasses and hear the voices of animals.

      Visiting the visitor center, ecological trail, and enclosures is by prior reservation—reserve status limits groups to 20 people.

      "In Khakassia, we see the first results: the animals have adapted, formed two groups, and the first foals have been born. It is important not only to continue restoring the population but also to explain why it is important to preserve it. This is precisely the task that the new visitor center will address," said Peter Shpilenok, advisor to the president—chairman of the board of VTB and director of the Nature Defenders Fund.

      The center in Khakassia became the second in Russia after a similar project in the Orenburg region, which is being created as part of the state program for species restoration. The horses were brought from Orenburg in October 2025 and were almost immediately divided into two family groups. Negotiations are underway for the import of a new batch of Przewalski's horses—potential partners could be Mongolia or China.

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