| Records |
| Author |
Krueger, K.; Flauger, B.; Farmer, K.; Hemelrijk, C. |
| Title |
Movement initiation in groups of feral horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2014 |
Publication  |
Behavioural Processes |
Abbreviated Journal |
Behav. Process. |
| Volume |
103 |
Issue |
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Pages |
91-101 |
| Keywords |
Horse; Equus ferus caballus; Distributed leadership; Herding; Departure; Rank |
| Abstract |
Abstract Herds of ungulates, flocks of birds, swarms of insects and schools of fish move in coordinated groups. Computer models show that only one or very few animals are needed to initiate and direct movement. To investigate initiation mechanisms further, we studied two ways in which movement can be initiated in feral horses: herding, and departure from the group. We examined traits affecting the likelihood of a horse initiating movement i.e. social rank, affiliative relationships, spatial position, and social network. We also investigated whether group members join a movement in dominance rank order. Our results show that whereas herding is exclusive to alpha males, any group member may initiate movement by departure. Social bonds, the number of animals interacted with, and the spatial position were not significantly associated with movement initiation. We did not find movement initiation by departure to be exclusive to any type of individual. Instead we find evidence for a limited form of distributed leadership, with higher ranking animals being followed more often. |
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0376-6357 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5738 |
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| Author |
King, S.R.B.; Gurnell, J. |
| Title |
Habitat use and spatial dynamics of takhi introduced to Hustai National Park, Mongolia |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2005 |
Publication |
Biological Conservation |
Abbreviated Journal |
Biol. Conserva. |
| Volume |
124 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
277-290 |
| Keywords |
Home range; Habitat use; Equus przewalskii; Takhi; Reintroduction |
| Abstract |
The successful introduction of captive bred takhi or Przewalski's horse, Equus ferus przewalskii, into Mongolia in the 1990s is a good example of the benefits of ex situ conservation and one of the few examples of the recovery of an animal after it became extinct in the wild. This is also particularly interesting because virtually nothing was known about how takhi lived before they died out, and the introductions have enabled us to study how they have settled, and their ecology and behaviour within their former natural range. In this paper, we describe the movement, home range size and shape, and habitat use of takhi at one of the release areas, the 570 km2 Hustai National Park in Mongolia. Harem home ranges varied between 129 and 2399 ha, with 80% core areas of between 61 and 1196 ha. There was no relationship between range size and harem size, or length of time since release. Initially, harems stayed near their release enclosures, but over time they established home ranges further away. There was little overlap between home ranges of different harems, but neither was there evidence of exclusive range use. The more nutritious vegetation at lower elevations was preferentially selected. Thus the present situation looks good, but, as the population continues to grow, we anticipate that there will be potential problems related to intraspecific competition for water and vegetation resources, and the potential for hybridisation with domestic horses belonging to the local people. We consider the time it may take for takhi to reach carrying capacity within Hustai National Park and emphasise that continual monitoring of the population is essential because interventional management is likely to be required in the future. |
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refbase @ user @ |
Serial |
335 |
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| Author |
Feh, C.; Munkhtuya, B.; Enkhbold, S.; Sukhbaatar, T. |
| Title |
Ecology and social structure of the Gobi khulan Equus hemionus subsp. in the Gobi B National Park, Mongolia |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2001 |
Publication |
Biological Conservation |
Abbreviated Journal |
Biol. Conserva. |
| Volume |
101 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
51-61 |
| Keywords |
Equus hemionus; Ecology and social structure; Gobi National Park; Mongolia |
| Abstract |
The status of the Gobi khulan Equus hemionus subsp. is recorded as “insufficiently known” in the Species Survival Commission's Equid Action Plan. Recent counts confirm that Mongolia holds the most important population of the whole species. Since 1953, the animals have benefited from a protected status, but this is now challenged. A 5-year study in the B part of the Gobi National Park on one subpopulation showed that it has remained stable over the past 15 years with an adequate mean reproductive rate of 15% and a 50% survival rate over the first year. Age/sex related mortality and prey analysis indicate that wolf predation probably has some impact on the population, in particular for 4-6-year-olds of both sexes at the start of reproduction. Desert and mountain steppes are the khulan's year-round preferred habitat, but `oases', play an important role at the beginning of lactation. Anthropogenic factors affect both home range and habitat use through direct intervention or permanent occupation of the scarce water sources. Khulans of this subpopulation, unlike other Asian and African wild asses, form year-round stable, non-territorial families. These families and all-male groups join together into “bands” in winter, and herds of several hundred animals, where reproductive rate is highest, form throughout the year. The existence of such herds may thus be critical for the breeding success of the population. Our study provides the first detailed quantitative data for this subspecies, which will help to monitor changes in the future. |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2289 |
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| Author |
Zharkikh, T.L.; Andersen, L. |
| Title |
Behaviour of Bachelor Males of the Przewalski Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii) at the Reserve Askania Nova |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2009 |
Publication |
Der Zoologische Garten |
Abbreviated Journal |
Zoologische Garten |
| Volume |
78 |
Issue |
5-6 |
Pages |
282-299 |
| Keywords |
Equid; Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii); Bachelor group; Social behaviour |
| Abstract |
The aim of this study was to investigate social relationships between Przewalski horses at a high density in a bachelor group housed in a 3.5-ha enclosure. The group consisted of 16 males aged 5 to 16. Behavioural data were collected during 18 days, total 216 h. Fifteen minute focal animal sampling was used; each horse was observed three times a day for a total of 45 min. The occurrence of 25 behaviours was recorded, and group spacing behaviour was studied using nearest neighbour recordings. The group divided into four subgroups; this supports earlier findings of bachelor groups (n>=10) dividing into two or more subgroups if they included several males aged >5 years. The total frequency of social interactions was 14.6±1.1 h-1. Although the density of the group in this study was higher than in other zoos, the males interacted agonistically only 3.6 h-1. The most frequently observed social behaviour categories were friendly interactions. This study shows possibilities to use some investigative behaviours (marking, flehmen, olfactory investigation, etc.) as indicators of social status of animals in a group. |
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0044-5169 |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5098 |
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| Author |
Nuñez, C.M.V.; Adelman, J.S.; Smith, J.; Gesquiere, L.R.; Rubenstein, D.I. |
| Title |
Linking social environment and stress physiology in feral mares (Equus caballus): Group transfers elevate fecal cortisol levels |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2014 |
Publication |
General and Comparative Endocrinology |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
196 |
Issue |
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Pages |
26-33 |
| Keywords |
Equus caballus; Fecal cortisol; Feral mare; Group transfer; Stress; Social instability |
| Abstract |
Abstract Feral horses (Equus caballus) have a complex social structure, the stability of which is important to their overall health. Behavioral and demographic research has shown that decreases in group (or band) stability reduce female fitness, but the potential effects on the physiological stress response have not been demonstrated. To fully understand how band stability affects group-member fitness, we need to understand not only behavioral and demographic, but also physiological consequences of decreases to that stability. We studied group changes in feral mares (an activity that induces instability, including both male and female aggression) on Shackleford Banks, NC. We found that mares in the midst of changing groups exhibit increased fecal cortisol levels. In addition, mares making more group transfers show higher levels of cortisol two weeks post-behavior. These results offer insights into how social instability is integrated into an animal’s physiological phenotype. In addition, our results have important implications for feral horse management. On Shackleford Banks, mares contracepted with porcine zona pellucida (PZP) make approximately 10 times as many group changes as do untreated mares. Such animals may therefore be at higher risk of chronic stress. These results support the growing consensus that links between behavior and physiological stress must be taken into account when managing for healthy, functional populations. |
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0016-6480 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5743 |
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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 |
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Issue |
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Pages |
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| 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 ≥ 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 |
U.S. Geological Survey-Biological Resources Discipline, Fort Collins Science Center |
| Corporate Author |
Ransom, J. I. |
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Conference |
IESM 2008 |
| Notes |
Talk 15 min IESM 2008 |
Approved |
yes |
| Call Number |
Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4471 |
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Vervaecke, H.; Stevens, J.; Vandemoortele, H.; Sigurjönsdöttir, H.; De Vries, H. |
| Title |
Aggression and dominance in matched groups of subadult Icelandic horses (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2007 |
Publication |
Journal of Ethology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Ethol. |
| Volume |
25 |
Issue |
3 |
Pages |
239-248 |
| Keywords |
Equus – Dominance – Aggression – Hierarchy – Steepness |
| Abstract |
Abstract We studied sex differences in the nature of aggression and dominance behaviour in two newly formed groups of 1-year-old Icelandic horses. One herd contained nine geldings, the other nine mares. The groups were matched with regard to dominance-determining traits such as age, weaning age, composition of native herd, social experience, genetic origin, body condition and maternal dominance status. High-ranking individuals of both sexes were more aggressive, high-ranking males were older, and high-ranking females had a better body condition. Frequencies of aggressions were similar in both groups. The mares reacted significantly more by showing submission upon an aggression rather than by not responding or by escalating the aggression. For the geldings, this difference was not observed due to a lower tendency to submit. A linear dominance hierarchy was found in both groups. David`s scores provided additional information regarding cardinal rank distances and were used to calculate steepness of hierarchies. The female hierarchy was somewhat steeper compared to the male hierarchy, suggesting somewhat lower despotism among males. This was mainly a consequence of the lower unidirectionality in male submission. Male contests occurred predominantly between dyads at top and mid positions, suggesting a low degree of acceptance of the hierarchy. |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
2192 |
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| Author |
Heitor, F.; Vicente, L. |
| Title |
Dominance relationships and patterns of aggression in a bachelor group of Sorraia horses (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2010 |
Publication |
Journal of Ethology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Ethol. |
| Volume |
28 |
Issue |
1 |
Pages |
35-44 |
| Keywords |
Horse – Equus – Dominance relationship – Rank – Agonistic interaction |
| Abstract |
Abstract The influence of individual factors on dominance rank and the relationship between rank distance and patterns of aggression predicted by models of evolutionarily stable strategies (ESS) of animal conflict were investigated in a managed bachelor group of Sorraia horses, Equus caballus. The group was composed of four to six stallions 3- to 12-years-old during the study period. The dominance hierarchy was significantly linear and rank was not related to age, weight, height or aggressiveness. Frequency and intensity of agonistic interactions were low, but higher-ranking stallions did not receive lower aggressiveness than lower-ranking stallions. There was some evidence that dominance relationships were more contested among close-ranking stallions, as predicted. Agonistic-related interactions among close-ranking stallions served similar functions to those among distant-ranking stallions, but the latter interacted more frequently than expected for access to resting sites and/or resting partners. Therefore, we found some evidence that agonistic-related interactions among distant-ranking stallions play a larger role in providing access to valuable and defendable resources than those among close-ranking stallions. Nevertheless, the fact that space to escape from aggression was limited and breeding access was independent from dominance rank may have reduced the benefits relative to costs of aggression and therefore limited the occurrence of contests over dominance and resources. |
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no |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5099 |
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| Author |
Baragli, P.; Vitale, V.; Paoletti, E.; Sighieri, C.; Reddon, A.R. |
| Title |
Detour behaviour in horses (Equus caballus) |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2011 |
Publication |
Journal of Ethology |
Abbreviated Journal |
J. Ethol. |
| Volume |
29 |
Issue |
2 |
Pages |
227-234 |
| Keywords |
Detour behaviour; Equus caballus; Horses; Lateralization; Spatial reasoning |
| Abstract |
The objective of this study was to investigate the ability of horses (Equus caballus) to detour around symmetric and asymmetric obstacles. Ten female Italian saddle horses were each used in three detour tasks. In the first task, the ability to detour around a symmetrical obstacle was evaluated; in the second and third tasks subjects were required to perform a detour around an asymmetrical obstacle with two different degrees of asymmetry. The direction chosen to move around the obstacle and time required to make the detour were recorded. The results suggest that horses have the spatial abilities required to perform detour tasks with both symmetric and asymmetric obstacles. The strategy used to perform the task varied between subjects. For five horses, lateralized behaviour was observed when detouring the obstacle; this was consistently in one direction (three on the left and two on the right). For these horses, no evidence of spatial learning or reasoning was found. The other five horses did not solve this task in a lateralized manner, and a trend towards decreasing lateralization was observed as asymmetry, and hence task difficulty, increased. These non-lateralized horses may have higher spatial reasoning abilities. |
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Springer Japan |
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English |
Summary Language |
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0289-0771 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
5686 |
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| Author |
Kavar, T.; Dovc, P. |
| Title |
Domestication of the horse: Genetic relationships between domestic and wild horses |
Type |
Journal Article |
| Year |
2008 |
Publication |
Livestock Science |
Abbreviated Journal |
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| Volume |
116 |
Issue |
1-3 |
Pages |
1-14 |
| Keywords |
Equus caballus; Domestication; Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA); Y chromosome markers |
| Abstract |
To date, a large amount of equine genetic data has been obtained regarding (i) extant domestic horses of various breeds from all over the world, (ii) ancient domestic horses, (iii) the extant Przewalski's wild horse, and (iv) the late Pleistocene wild horse from Eurasia and North America. Here, a review of mtDNA and Y chromosome marker analyses is presented in the context of horse domestication. High matrilineal (mtDNA) diversity, which can be found in both extant and ancient (domestic and wild) horses, has suggested that a high number of wild (and tamed) mares were domesticated. Alternatively, Y chromosome marker analysis revealed a single haplotype in all domestic horses analyzed; interestingly even a small population of extant Przewalski's wild horses showed two different Y chromosome haplotypes. It seems that an extreme male population bottleneck occurred due to domestication, while reduction in the female population was only moderate, leaving about 100 distinct haplotypes. For this reason, we speculate that domestication might have started when the appropriate stallion was found or was obtained by selection. Perhaps it had some unusual but special characteristics which could have accelerated the process of domestication. We doubt that only a single Y chromosome haplotype will be found in present-day domestic horses if there are no important differences between the founder stallion/s and the other stallions that were not included in the domestication. In the Eneolithic, tamed and wild mares have probably been spread all over Eurasia, although the number of animals was most likely very low and the populations were limited to a restricted area (e.g., taming centers). Only two subspecies of wild horses (Tarpan and Przewalski's wild horse) have survived up to recently. During the further process of domestication, mares (tamed or wild) were preferentially crossed to stallions having more desirable characteristics. We assume that mares from different regions varied in their morphology due to adaptation to their local environmental conditions. These data might explain rapid expansion of horse populations, as well as their rapid differentiation into various phenotypes during the early phase of domestication. |
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1871-1413 |
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Equine Behaviour @ team @ |
Serial |
4771 |
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