Sterilization of dominant males will not limit feral horse populations /

Abstract

Sterilization of dominant stallions is impractical for controlling feral horse populations. Evidence does not support the premise that reproductive units are stable, with one male and many females. Individual horses, including reproductively active females, move between bands during the breeding season. Permanent or temporary sterilization of the dominant stallion in a feral horse herd has been suggested to control horse populations. This control method would work only if bands of horses were stable, if reproductive units consisted of one male and many females, and if females did not move between bands. A study of the behavior of bands of horses from the Jicarilla herd shows that female fidelity is weak or nonexistent and that some breeding in the bands is by subdominant males. The amount of sterilization that would have to be done to control horse numbers indicates that the technique is not practical. Another reason to avoid selective sterilization of dominant males is that these animals represent the best genetic material for the population.vada Agricultural Experiment Station, R 127, 110 p.

Population Characteristics of Feral Horses Impacted by Anthropogenic Factors and Their Management Implications

“…(3) a group of females splitting and each subgroup integrated into a new harem (Mendonça, personal observations). Because females tend to join other harems or be joined by a male, we did not observe stable all-female groups as have been reported by some other studies (Nelson, 1980;Kaseda, 1981;Goodloe et al, 2000). Considering the high predation pressure during our study period, integration in a new harem is likely to be important for female survival and therefore reproductive fitness (Freitas, 2019;Mendonça et al, 2020).…”

Predation, sex ratios, and male competition in equids (Mammalia: Perissodactyla)

“…Likewise, emigration can be dismissed as an alternative to mortality for the two island and Granite populations. (86) 0.89 ( 1 03)d Berger (1977), (Unpublished) Keiper (1979) This study Feist & McCullough (1975) Nelson (1980 Welsh (1975) Green & Green (1977) Salter & Hudson (1 982) Tyler (1972) 4…”