Methods. Nine feral horses were darted from the ground with 60 mg of medetomidine and 1500 mg of tiletamine-zolazepam. The effects of medetomidine were reversed with 50-100 mg of atipamezole 30-40 minutes post induction (IV/IM). Physiological variables monitored during anaesthesia were heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature and oxygen haemoglobin saturation (S p O 2 ). 2Key results. All horses were successfully immobilised with between one and three darts (n = 9). The mean dose of medetomidine was 0.15 ± 0.01 mg kg -1 (SEM) and tiletaminezolazepam was 3.61 ± 0.16 mg kg -1 . Mean time from darting to lateral recumbency was 13 ± 2.7 min, and mean recumbency time was 54 ± 13 min. Vital signs for all anaesthetised animals remained within normal range during anaesthesia, with the exception of one animal displaying a transient drop in S p O 2 . No mortalities were encountered.Key conclusions. The combination of medetomidine and tiletamine-zolazepam provided adequate anaesthesia in feral horses in the field for application of GPS collars.Implications. Although a limited number of horses were immobilised, this study shows that medetomidine and tiletamine-zolazepam provides effective short-term anaesthesia for feral horses, providing a practical and field-accessible capture technique. This method could also be applied to other management actions requiring safe and humane capture of feral horses.

Context Understanding population dynamics of invasive species is crucial for the development of management strategies. Feral horses (Equus caballus) are a growing problem in the Tuan–Toolara State Forest (TTSF), a coniferous plantation in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. Aim The population dynamics of the TTSF feral horses was not known. Therefore, the study was designed to characterise the major vital parameters of this population and, using these data, develop a long-term management plan. Methods The study was conducted over 3 years (2011–14) involving 522 individually identified horses. Foaling rates were used to calculate fecundity. Body fat distribution was estimated using body condition score (BCS), which reflects the nutritional, metabolic and general health of individual animals. Multi state mark–capture population models were used to estimate age-specific survival, and the Leslie age-structured projection matrix model was used to determine the annual rate at which the population increased. Key results The mean annual fecundity was low (0.23 ± 0.07 s.d.). The mean BCS of the population was mid-range (2.55 ± 0.51 s.d.) with adult females having lower scores than other age and gender groups. Survival estimates were consistently high (0.92–0.95) across all age groups. The average annual finite rate of population increase (λ) for the 3 years of the study was 1.09. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the population growth rate was almost seven times more sensitive to changes in adult survival compared with juvenile survival, and almost twice as sensitive to changes in fecundity. Key conclusions Population dynamics of the TTSF feral horses were comparable to other feral horse populations similarly challenged by environmental nutritional limitations. Implications Defining population dynamics of the TTSF feral horses permits the formulation of management goals that can be audited and adapted as required. The most effective strategy for controlling population growth in the TTSF would involve the continuing removal of substantial numbers of adult females or manipulation of survival and/or fecundity. As selective removal will likely alter the adult sex ratio and age structure of the population, ongoing assessment is necessary to minimise adverse welfare outcomes.

Despite ongoing projects involving the breeding and release of equids into semi-wild and wild environments, insufficient information is available in the literature that describes strategies used by equids to adapt and survive in a novel environment. The aim of this study was to assess the ability of naïve, feral Equus caballus (horse) mares to cope in a novel feral horse environment and investigate possible reasons why some may not survive this challenge. Four mares taken from a semi-arid desert environment remained in good health but significantly changed their movement behaviour pattern when surrounded by prime grazing habitat in a mesic temperate grassland. Three of the four mares captured from the prime grazing habitat and released in the semi-arid desert habitat died, apparently due to stress and/or starvation, within 8 weeks of release. The fourth mare survived 4 months but lost considerable weight. The group of mares relocated to the semi-arid desert environment had difficulty adapting to relocation and did not take up the movement behaviour strategy of local horses, which required long distance treks from a central water hole to distant feeding areas at least 15 km away. The movement behaviour, range use and health consequences of relocating equids may be of interest to wildlife ecologists, animal behaviourists and horse welfare groups. The observations may be used to guide those intending on relocating managed domestic and native horses to novel habitats.

Feral horses (Equus caballus) in Australia are a growing problem despite implementation of management strategies. The increasing number of feral horses within the Tuan and Toolara State Forest (TTSF), a coniferous plantation on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, and particularly near major public roads, has been recognised as a problem in the last decade. Desensitised to road traffic, horses are a serious distraction for motorists, and have potential to cause serious animal-vehicle accidents.The primary objective of the study was to characterise the essential demographics of the TTSF feral horses, so that the most suitable methods for long-term population management could be determined. The study was conducted from 2012 -2014 and determined social structure, reproductive performance and survival, and population growth rate. The estimation of population distribution, abundance and density together with assessment of habitat use and home range size were also addressed.The studied population did not show significant annual variation in demographics, which is consistent with measurements in other unmanaged feral horse populations in Australia and abroad. The overall size and age composition of social groups remained stable during the study period. The average harem size was estimated as 4.95 (95%CI 4.53-5.41), and usually consisted of 1 stallion, 2 -3 adult females, and 2 immature offspring (≤ 3 years of age). Males not associated with harems consisted of adult (≥ 3 years old) and sub-adult (2 years old) individuals, either forming groups of 2 -6 or living by themselves. The population showed a stable age distribution, with adult horses constituting the largest group (68%; n = 247). The sex ratio of adult female to male horses was nearly equal (0.99:1.00).The mean annual fecundity was 0.23 ± 0.07 SD and was comparable to those obtained for other feral horse populations where the environment imposed nutritional limitations. Adult females were observed to foal on average every second year. The overall nutritional status of the population expressed as body condition score (BCS; 0 -5) was 2.55 ± 0.51 SD with adult females having poorer scores than other age and gender groups. Survival estimates were consistently high (0.92 -0.95) across all age groups. The average annual finite rate of population increase (λ) for the three years of the study was 1.088 which was lower than the maximum reported for populations living in the most favourable conditions. Elasticity iii analysis demonstrated that the TTSF population growth rate was almost seven times more sensitive to changes in adult survival compared with juvenile survival, and almost twice more sensitive than changes in fecundity.Assessment of the population distribution based on a strip transect survey using horse dung on forest tracks indicated that the majority of the forestry was occupied by horses, with the highest population density being located in the central region of the plantation.Abundance and density of horses were estimated by distance line transect surv...

Conservation activities, including translocations of threatened species, are increasingly important priorities for conserving biodiversity and culture on Indigenous-managed lands, which occupy over 20% of the Australian landmass. In the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of north-western South Australia, the Warru Recovery Team reintroduced the threatened black-footed rock-wallaby (warru) to Wamitjara in May 2018. We outline the unique planning and logistical issues inherent in securing support and involvement of Traditional Owners and Indigenous rangers for predator, weed and fire management, cross-fostering, captive breeding, monitoring and translocation of the rock-wallabies. Altogether, the project cost AU$3.86 million (actual – AU$1.86 million, in kind – AU$2.00 million) over 10 years of preparation and one year of post-translocation monitoring. This consisted of AU$1.18 million for cross-fostering and captive breeding at Monarto Zoo and a further AU$0.55 million for the construction and maintenance of a fenced exclosure in the APY Lands. It is estimated that AU$0.51 million of the total costs were directly attributed to working remote and Indigenous-owned land, with most of the remaining costs typical of other reintroduction programs. Large-scale reintroduction opportunities on Indigenous-managed land can provide considerable conservation outcomes as well as delivering cultural objectives and supporting employment.