A Unique, Equine-Like Species Became Extinct in 1883 - Witness These Rare Photos (Analyzed by a Biologist)
The quagga, a unique subspecies of the plains zebra, once roamed abundantly in South Africa's Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Northern Cape, and Free State. Distinguishable by its partial brown-and-white striping that arched across the front half of its body, with white legs, belly, and tail, the quagga was a sight to behold.
However, the quagga's days were numbered. Post-European settlement in the 1850s, the quagga populations began to decline due to excessive hunting by settlers and Afrikaners, who used them as guards for other livestock. Many locals and hunters in South Africa often confused quaggas with zebras, further contributing to their decline.
By the late 19th century, the quagga was determined to be a distinct subspecies of the plains zebra. A female quagga named Sarah lived in the Natura Artis Zoo in Amsterdam until her death in 1883, marking the last known sighting of a wild quagga. The last wild quagga died in the Free State, South Africa, in 1878.
Only five known photographs of the quagga were ever taken, all of the same mare. No special records were kept of the quagga's species at the time of its demise, and attempts to establish quagga breeding programs were largely unsuccessful.
Fast forward to the 1980s, scientists were able to extract DNA from quagga skins preserved in museum collections. This discovery paved the way for the launch of the Quagga Project, led by the Cape Nature Conservation agency and researchers at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. The project aims to selectively breed plains zebras to resemble the quagga's unique appearance.
Several generations of 'Rau quaggas' have been bred and reintroduced into parts of their historic range. Genetic analysis confirmed that the quagga was actually a subspecies of the plains zebra, not a distinct species, in 2009 research. This finding has not deterred the Quagga Project, which continues its work to bring back the quagga's distinctive appearance.
The tragedy of the quagga's extinction was also expressed in Henry Bryden's 1889 novel. The Dutch zoo still requested another quagga specimen after Sarah's death, but to no avail. Today, the Quagga Project stands as a testament to our efforts to preserve and understand the natural world, even in the face of loss.
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