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Author Wolter, R.; Pantel, N.; Stefanski, V.; Möstl, E.; Krueger, K.
Title The role of an alpha animal in changing environmental conditions Type Journal Article
Year 2014 Publication Physiology & Behavior Abbreviated Journal Physiol. Behav.
Volume 133 Issue Pages 236-243
Keywords Alpha male; Horse; Equus ferus przewalskii; Bachelor group; Group structure
Abstract Abstract The maintenance and development of conservation areas by grazing of large herbivores, such as Przewalski's horses, is common practice. Several nature conservation areas house male bachelor groups of this species. When males are needed for breeding they are removed from the groups, often without considering group compositions and individual social positions. However, alpha animals are needed for ensuring group stability and decision making in potentially dangerous situations in several species. To investigate the role of the alpha male in a bachelor group, we observed the behaviour of five Przewalski's horse males during the enlargement of their enclosure. We analyzed the group's social structure and movement orders, as well as the animals' connectedness, activity budgets, and whether they moved with preferred group members and how factors such as social rank influenced the horses' behaviour. We also investigated the excretion of glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM) via faeces of the horses while exploring a new area as a parameter of glucocorticoid production. Our results show that the alpha male is important for a bachelor group in changing environmental conditions. The alpha male had the highest level of connectedness within the group. When exploring the new environment, its position in the group changed from previously being the last to being the first. Furthermore the whole group behaviour changed when exploring the new area. The stallions showed reduced resting behavior, increased feeding and did not stay close to each other. We found that the excretion of glucocorticoid metabolites of most horses rose only marginally during the first days on the new area while only the alpha male showed a significant increased amount of glucocorticoid production during the first day of the enclosure enlargement.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0031-9384 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5818
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Author Hollenhorst, H.; Weil, S.; Krueger, K.
Title Innovative behavour in horses (Equus caballus) Type Conference Article
Year 2015 Publication Proceedings of the 3. International Equine Science Meeting Abbreviated Journal Proc. 3. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords innovative behavior, age, housing system, horse (Equus caballus)
Abstract Contrary to the widely-spread assumption that horses just have restricted cognitive capacities and are not very flexible in their behaviors, we showed that horses display innovative behavior and even make use of tools (Krueger 2015, Krueger et al. 2015). These findings derive from a database (http://innovative-behaviour.org/) the Equine behavior team managed in the past two years. Some horses did not only show single innovations, but several different innovations. The number of innovations per individual varied from 1 to 10. 20 % of all innovative horses in the database showed more than one innovation. These individuals can be called the ‘true innovators’. Moreover innovations were dependent on age. Young horses were more innovative than older ones, whereby horses at the age of five to nine years were the most innovative. When considering the housing system innovative horses in a single housing (inside box, outside box, paddock box) had a slight majority towards horses in group housing (open stable, active stable, pasture day and night). But given the fact that ratings on housing system frequencies state 95% of the horses to be kept in individual housing, innovations in individual housing are rare. Nevertheless, horses kept in inside boxes without a window, opened doors more often than all other horses. Aside from this effect, housing systems did not trigger the frequency of innovative behavior. Innovations for gaining freedom and innovations in general were widespread among horses with daily access to pasture and daily contact with conspecifics. Innovations for gaining food were not more likely to occur in horses that were fed little amounts of roughage. In conclusion, the housing of horses does not seem to be the primary catalyst for developing innovative behavior in horses. What makes a “true innovator” in horses, in addition to age, remains to be seen.
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Corporate Author Hollenhorst, H. Thesis
Publisher Xenophon Publishing Place of Publication Wald Editor ; Krueger, K.
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title Proc. 3. Int. Equine. Sci. Mtg
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN ISBN 978-3-95625-000-2 Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Id - Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 5896
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Author Brooks, C.J.; Harris, S.
Title Directed movement and orientation across a large natural landscape by zebras, Equus burchelli antiquorum Type Journal Article
Year 2008 Publication Animal Behaviour Abbreviated Journal Anim. Behav.
Volume 76 Issue 2 Pages 277-285
Keywords correlated random walk; directed movement; Equus burchelli antiquorum; Gps; movement path; orientation; spatial memory; spatial scale; zebra
Abstract We investigated how plains zebras moved across a large natural landscape by analysing the movement paths of nine zebra mares foraging out from spatially confined waterholes during the dry season in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Botswana. Since it was essential to investigate directed movement over a range of spatial scales to determine the correct movement behaviour and strategy, we used Nams's scaling test for oriented movement. Zebras followed directed movement paths in the lower to medium spatial scales (10 m–3.7 km) and above their visual, and possibly olfactory, range. The spatial scale of directed movement suggests that zebras had a well-defined spatial awareness and cognitive ability. Seven zebras used directed movement paths, but the remaining two followed paths not significantly different to a correlated random walk (CRW). At large spatial scales (>3 km) no distinct movement pattern could be identified and paths could not be distinguished from a CRW. Foraging strategy affected the extent of directed movement: zebras with a confined dispersion of grazing patches around the central place directed their movements over a longer distance. Zebras may extend the distance at which they can direct their movement after improving their knowledge of the local environment.
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0003-3472 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6148
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Author Klingel, H.
Title Observations on social organization and behaviour of African and Asiatic Wild Asses (Equus africanus and Equus hemionus) Type Journal Article
Year 1998 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl Anim Behav Sci
Volume 60 Issue 2 Pages 103-113
Keywords Equus africanus Equus hemionus Territoriality
Abstract 1This paper appears with kind permission of Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin and Hamburg. It was originally published in Z. Tierpsychol., 44, 323-331 (1977), ISSN 0044-3573/ASTM-Coden: ZETIAG.1

Abstract

African and Asiatic Wild Asses (Equus africanus and Equus hemionus) live in unstable groups or herds of variable composition. Some of the adult stallions are territorial in large territories in which they tolerate other ♂♂. The territorial ♂♂ are dominant over all their conspecifics
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Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0168-1591 ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6173
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Author Boyce, P.N.; McLoughlin, P.D.
Title Ecological Interactions Involving Feral Horses and Predators: Review with Implications for Biodiversity Conservation Type Journal Article
Year 2021 Publication The Journal of Wildlife Management Abbreviated Journal Jour. Wild. Mgmt.
Volume n/a Issue n/a Pages
Keywords apparent competition; artificial selection; community ecology; conservation; feral horse (Equus ferus caballus); life history; predator-prey dynamics
Abstract ABSTRACT For many ecosystems, feral horses are increasingly becoming an important if not dominant component of ungulate biomass and hence influence on community dynamics. Yet we still know little of how horses contribute to key ecological interactions including predator-prey and indirect competitive relationships at a community level. Notably, feral species like horses can exhibit life-history traits that differ from that of native (mainly artiodactyl) herbivore competitors. Artificial selection for traits like increased, early, or extended reproduction that have yet to be reversed by natural selection, coupled with naturally selected differences in anatomy and behavior, in addition to unique management objectives for horses compared to other species, means that the dynamics of feral horse populations are not likely to align with what might be expected of other large herbivores. Unexpected population dynamics and inherent biological asymmetries between native ungulates and feral horses may therefore influence the former via direct competition for shared resources and through enemy-mediated interactions like apparent competition. In several localities feral horses now co-exist with multiple native prey species, some of which are in decline or are species at risk. Compounding risks to native species from direct or indirect competitive exclusion by horses is the unique nature and socio-political context of feral horse management, which tends towards allowing horse populations to be limited largely by natural, density-dependent factors. We summarize the inherent asymmetries between feral horse biology and that of other ungulate prey species with consequences for conservation, focusing on predator-prey and emerging indirect interactions in multi-prey systems, and highlight future directions to address key knowledge gaps in our understanding of how feral horses may now be contributing to the (re)structuring of food webs. Observations of patterns of rapid growth and decline, and associated skews in sex ratios of feral horse populations, indicate a heightened potential for indirect interactions among large ungulate prey species, where there is a prevalence of feral horses as preferred prey, particularly where native prey are declining. In places like western North America, we expect predator-prey interactions involving feral horses to become an increasingly important factor in the conservation of wildlife. This applies not only to economically or culturally important game species but also at-risk species, both predators (e.g., wolves [Canis lupus], grizzly bears [Ursus arctos]) and prey (e.g., woodland caribou [Rangifer tarandus caribou]), necessitating an ecological understanding of the role of horses in natural environments that goes beyond that of population control. ? 2021 The Wildlife Society.
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Corporate Author Thesis
Publisher John Wiley & Sons, Ltd Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 0022-541x ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes https://doi.org/10.1002/jwmg.21995 Approved no
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 6642
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Author Araba, B.D.; Crowell-Davis, S.L.
Title Dominance relationships and aggression of foals (Equus caballus) Type Journal Article
Year 1994 Publication Applied Animal Behaviour Science Abbreviated Journal Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.
Volume 41 Issue 1-2 Pages 1-25
Keywords aggression; dominance; horse; Equus caballus
Abstract Studied a herd of 15 Belgian brood-mares and 10 foals. Specific aspects of social structure studied were dominance-subordinance relationships, preferred associates, social spacing, aggression rates, the frequency of aggressions administered down the dominance hierarchy, and interactive play bouts. The rank order of the foals, both before and after weaning, was positively correlated with the rank order of their dams. There was also a significant relationship between a foal's rank and its total aggression or aggression rate per subordinate post-weaning. Higher ranking foals had higher rates of aggression. Over 80% of threats were directed down the dominance hierachy. The play-rank order of the foals, scored by the number of times foal left a play bout, was not significantly correlated with the rank order as scored by agonistic interactions. -from Authors
Address (up) Dept Anatomy and Radiology, Univ of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Publisher Place of Publication Editor
Language Summary Language Original Title
Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title
Series Volume Series Issue Edition
ISSN 01681591 (Issn) ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 790
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Author Haring, H.
Title Development, level and prospects of the german horse breeding Type Journal Article
Year 2005 Publication Zuechtungskunde Abbreviated Journal Zuechtungskunde
Volume 77 Issue 6 Pages 490-495
Keywords Breeding program; Breeding/Member association; Change of structure; Estimation of breeding values; Fédération Equestre Nationale (FN)/German Equestrian Federation; Step of selection; Equidae; Equus caballus
Abstract The economic impact of the horses of the Federal Republic of Germany has gone up, the statistic numerals verify obviously that Germany took pride of place in Europe in terms of numbers of riders as well as numbers of horses. Successes of German branded horses let their breeders reach the summit worldwide. The carefully agreed breeding programme connects practical cognitions with those of science and permits the leading breeding areas unobstructed space to set their own priorities. Globalisation and rised demand of customers forces breeding associations towards a far-reaching reorganisation because just large powerful institutions can meet these requirements. An end of this process, which scarcely has just begun, cannot yet be conceivable seen. – Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart.
Address (up) Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung e. V., 48229 Warendorf, Germany
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ISSN 00445401 (Issn) ISBN Medium
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Notes Cited By (since 1996): 1; Export Date: 21 April 2007; Source: Scopus; Language of Original Document: German; Correspondence Address: Haring, H.; Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung e. V. 48229 Warendorf, Germany; email: Hharing@fn-dokr.de Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 791
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Author Linklater, W.L.; Cameron, E.Z.; Stafford, K.J.; Veltman, C.J.
Title Social and spatial structure and range use by Kaimanawa wild horses (Equus caballus: Equidae) Type Journal Article
Year 2000 Publication New Zealand Journal of Ecology Abbreviated Journal New Zealand J. Ecol.
Volume 24 Issue 2 Pages 139-152
Keywords Bachelor male; Band; Density; Habitat use; Home range; Management proposals; Micro-climate; Vegetation monitoring; habitat use; home range; mammal; social structure; spatial distribution; New Zealand; Equus caballus
Abstract We measured horse density, social structure, habitat use, home ranges and altitudinal micro-climates in the south-western Kaimanawa ranges east of Waiouru, New Zealand. Horse density in the Auahitotara ecological sector averaged 3.6 horses.km-2 and ranged from 0.9 to 5.2 horses.km-2 within different zones. The population's social structure was like that of other feral horse populations with an even adult sex ratio, year round breeding groups (bands) with stable adult membership consisting of 1 to 11 mares, 1 to 4 stallions, and their predispersal offspring, and bachelor groups with unstable membership. Bands and bachelor males were loyal to undefended home ranges with central core use areas. Band home range sizes varied positively with adult band size. Home ranges overlapped entirely with other home ranges. Horses were more likely to occupy north facing aspects, short tussock vegetation and flush zones and avoid high altitudes, southern aspects, steeper slopes, bare ground and forest remnants. Horses were more likely to be on north facing aspects, steeper slopes, in exotic and red tussock grasslands and flush zones during winter and at lower altitudes and on gentler slopes in spring and summer. Seasonal shifts by bands to river basin and stream valley floors in spring and higher altitudes in autumn and winter are attributed to the beginning of foaling and mating in spring and formation of frost inversion layers in winter. Given horse habitat selectivity and the presence of other ungulate herbivores, results from present exclosures are likely to exaggerate the size of horse impacts on range vegetation. Proposals to manage the population by relocation and confinement are likely to modify current social structure and range use behaviour and may lead to the need for more intensive management in the longer term.
Address (up) Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resources, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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ISSN 01106465 (Issn) ISBN Medium
Area Expedition Conference
Notes Cited By (since 1996): 12; Export Date: 21 April 2007; Source: Scopus; Language of Original Document: English; Correspondence Address: Linklater, W.L.; Ecology Group; Institute of Natural Resources; Massey University; Private Bag 11-222 Palmerston North, New Zealand; email: wlinklater@hotmail.com Approved no
Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 793
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Author Ransom, J. I.; Cade, B. S.
Title Influences of immunocontraception on intraband social behavior in free-ranging feral horses, Equus caballus Type Conference Article
Year 2008 Publication IESM 2008 Abbreviated Journal
Volume Issue Pages
Keywords contraception, immunocontraception, behavior, PZP, Equus caballus
Abstract Contraception is often considered for population control of wildlife that is otherwise protected from more traditional management strategies, though little is known about the behavioral consequences of contraception in wild populations of socially complex animals. Feral horses, Equus caballus, in the western United States are ideal candidates for contraceptive management due to broad scale federal protection, reported herd growth rates of 15-25% per year, and finite public land allocated for them. We investigated influences of the immunocontraceptive porcine zona pellucida (PZP) on social behavior within bands of feral horses in three discrete populations for 4 years. Each band consisted of a single stallion and a harem of adult females (>1 years old) and their foals, as well as associated yearling males and females. Four mutually exclusive behaviors (herding, reproductive, harem tending, and agonism) were analyzed to investigate the difference between behaviors initiated by band stallions toward control mares and contracepted mares within the bands. Additionally, spatial relationships between each stallion and each harem female were analyzed to assess possible passive interactions. A candidate set of 22 hierarchical mixed effects models, using the discrete populations as a random effect on various fixed effects, was analyzed by restricted maximum likelihood estimation. The most supported models were selected by corrected Akaike"s Information Criteria (AICc). Analyses were done on 3 female age cohorts based on distinct fecundity rates: 2 to 5 year olds, 6 to 14 year olds, and > 14 year olds. Stallions herded control mares in the 6 to 14 year cohort more than contracepted mares (n=128, P=0.037) with treatment being the most supported effect, but foal presence (dependent foal) also contributed significantly to the model. Contracepted mares received more reproductive behaviors than control mares in the 6 to 14 year cohort (n = 151, P=0.020). No differences were detected in herding or reproductive behaviors in

the least fecund groups, the 2 to 5 year olds and &#8805; 15 year olds. The only independent variable in the most supported model for reproductive behavior was treatment, and the covariates of foal presence, band residence (resident or transient female), band size, and body condition did not contribute. There were no differences in any age cohort for harem tending or agonism. Spatially, stallions maintained closer relationships with 2 to 5 year old contracepted females than with the same age control females (n=136, P < 0.001) while the group was feeding (at its most dispersed structure), but there were no differences while the band was resting or in locomotion. There were no spatial differences detected in the other age cohorts. Given the polyestrous nature and high fecundity of feral horses, the observed difference in reproductive behaviors between treatment groups was not surprising; however, the difference detected in herding rates was an unexpected behavioral modification. This change in herding behavior suggests that further investigation is needed to determine if PZP immunocontraception has an underlying influence on mare social rank, band structure, and band stability, as well as the scope and long-term importance of these behavioral dynamics.
Address (up) U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources Discipline, Fort Collins Science Center
Corporate Author Ransom, J. I. Thesis
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Area Expedition Conference IESM 2008
Notes Talk 15 min IESM 2008 Approved yes
Call Number Equine Behaviour @ team @ Serial 4471
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