BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Wild Horse Species 'In Peril'

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Wild horse species 'in peril' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2697579.stm

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You are in: Science/Nature News Front Page Monday, 27 January, 2003, 12:02 GMT See also: Wild horse species 'in 02 Nov 02 | In Depth Tough questions on peril' species survival 08 Feb 02 | Science/Nature Africa Rare donkey's even Americas rarer birth Asia-Pacific 26 Jun 01 | Science/Nature Europe Zebra hybrid is cute Middle East surprise South Asia UK Internet links: Business Sustainable Entertainment Development Network Science/Nature IUCN Technology Health Przewalski's Horse ------Foundation Talking Point Zoological Society of Africa's wild asses are critically endangered ------London (Copyright Patricia D Moehlman 1998) Country Profiles The BBC is not responsible for In Depth By Alex Kirby the content of external ------BBC News Online environment correspondent internet sites Programmes ------Immortalised in ancient cave paintings, the Top Science/Nature horse has fascinated humans for thousands stories now: of years. Date for first Australians Fifth closest star SERVICES Predictably, though, it is principally human discovered Daily E-mail activities that are placing the few remaining Mona Lisa smile secrets News Ticker wild horses under increasing pressure. revealed Mobile/PDAs The gene that maketh ------man? Conservationists, Zebras, asses and Text Only alarmed at the horses can serve as Gravity wave detector Feedback prospects for the 'flagship' species all set Help seven species of Robots get cheeky Dr Patricia Moehlman The big and the bizarre EDITIONS horse, ass and zebra Change to UK that survive in the wild, are launching an Botox 'may cause new action plan designed to safeguard their wrinkles' future. Links to more Science/Nature stories It summarises current knowledge on their are at the foot of the biology, ecology and conservation status. page.

The plan is entitled Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses - Status Survey And Conservation Action Plan. It is the work of the equid specialist group of the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

Dr Patricia Moehlman, who chairs the group, said: "Most of the endangered equids live in desert and savanna ecosystems. These habitats are not rich in

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biodiversity, but do contain unique and endemic animals and plants.

Hanging in there

"Zebras, asses and horses can serve as 'flagship' species for the conservation of these ecosystems.

"The arid homes of many equids are also home to human populations that face the same extreme environmental pressures. The benefit to wildlife of involving local pastoralists in conservation management is likely to be significant."

The seven equid species are the African and Asiatic wild asses, the kiang (a wild ass from Tibet), Przewalski's horse, and three zebra species - Grevy's, mountain and plains zebras.

Most are threatened, Grevy's zebra (Copyright Patricia D and are classified as Moehlman 1985) endangered or vulnerable on IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species.

One species, Przewalski s horse, is classified as extinct in the wild on the Red List.

It can breed with domestic horses and produce fertile offspring, but its possession of certain distinct chromosomes means it differs more from its domestic relatives than any two domestic horses do from each other.

There are also differences in appearance: for example, Przewalski's horses shed their tail and mane hair annually, unlike domestic horses.

The first visual records of this species are more than 20,000 years old - cave paintings, engravings, and decorated tools from Italy, western France, and northern Spain.

Numbers of Przewalski's horse declined

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dramatically after 1945, and only small groups were reported in the next few years. Possible causes include hunting, military activities, and increasing land use pressure.

BBCi Nature Click here for facts on the Asiatic ass

BBCi Nature Click here for facts on the African ass

Inching back

The last confirmed sighting in the wild was in 1969, when a solitary stallion was seen by a Mongolian scientist in the Gobi desert. Today, Przewalski's horse survives thanks to captive breeding.

The only free-ranging populations are those re-introduced to Mongolia since 1992. That autumn the first recorded birth occurred of a Przewalski's horse in Mongolia since their extinction in the wild. The kiang, Tibet's wild ass (Copyright Patricia D Moehlman 2000) The mountain zebra historically ranged from southern South Africa through Namibia and into western Angola.

It is classified as endangered on the Red List: it is believed to have declined by at least 50% in 10 years (three generations). Two subspecies are known (Equus z. zebra and E. z. hartmannae).

Risk of hybrids

Although it suffered through excessive hunting and loss of habitat to agriculture, numbers of Equus z. zebra are now gradually building up through conservation programmes.

Major threats to the zebras' survival include the risk of cross-breeding between the two subspecies, which could mean the loss of genetic diversity.

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Other dangers include drought, and the relatively small numbers left in the wild, which means the loss of a single population could reduce global numbers by around 30%.

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