The long range goal of the Equid Specialist Group, IUCN is to conserve biological diversity by developing and executing programs to study, save, restore, and wisely manage wild equids and their habitats. Thus, the following information is relevant because conservation issues for wild native equids are similar to those facing wild horses and burros in the USA and management lessons can be learned from a comparative perspective. Discussion Family Equidae is composed of zebras, asses, and horses. During the Pleistocene they were the most abundant medium-sized grazing animals of the grasslands and steppes of Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Today there remain only seven species.
Re-introduction projects for the Tahki are occurring in China and Mongolia. The majority of species in this small family are endangered or vulnerable. Equids are significant for conservation both for their unique genetic heritage and their role as flagship species for the conservation of biodiversity in desert and grassland ecosystems in Africa and Asia. Most endangered equids live in desert ecosystems. These habitats are not rich in species, but do contain unique and endemic animals and plants.