A breeding project is breathing new life into the once extinct quagga zebra sub-species.

The birth of the rare ‘Rau’ quagga in Somerset West in the Western Cape is a milestone in an ambitious 35-year-old project that seeks to recreate a quagga sub-species with the closest resemblance to the original species, that were hunted to extinction in the late 1800s.

The foal, which was born last month, is the eighth member of the founder herd at Vergelegen Wine Estate, renowned for its environmental programmes.

“This youngster appears very relaxed and has been accepted as one of the herd,” says Eben Olderwagen, environmental project manager at the 323-year-old estate.

The foal was left undisturbed to bond with the other seven quagga. Its sex has not yet been determined.

‘It has grown about 15 cm taller in a month and has been spotted nibbling lucerne, in addition to suckling from its mother.

The Rau quagga arrived at Vergelegen in May last year, from Pampoenvlei, in the Darling area.

The 180-hectare reserve provides lush natural grazing, with an array of grasses for them to feed on. The plan is for the founder herd to continue to breed, and after about two years, selected quagga will be exchanged with others in the programme.

Olderwagen explains this will prevent in-breeding as well as ensure the quagga are bred as near to its original species as possible.

The last recorded original quagga mare died in the Amsterdam Zoo in 1883.

The original quagga sub-species was shorter and stockier than southern plains zebra, with a pale brown hide and black markings, unlike the white hide and black markings of other plains zebras.

Quagga usually have stripes on the head, neck and front portion of their bodies only.