Quagga

The quagga is an extinct subspecies of the plains zebra. They were found in South Africa and hunted to extinction for meat and hide. The last wild quagga was probably shot in the late 1870s. The last captive specimen died in 1883 at a zoo in Amsterdam.  The quagga was the first extinct creature to have its DNA studied. After it was discovered that surviving zebra and quagga share a close relationship, a selective breeding process was began by the Quagga Project to "breed back" the quagga. The first foal, named Henry, was born in 2005. It is a matter of controversy among scientists whether or not the Quagga Project has truly accomplished its mission.



1793 illustration of a quagga mare belonging to Louis XVI.



Quagga in London zoo, circa 1870.