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Cover image of Wild Equids
Cover image of Wild Equids
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Wild Equids

Ecology, Management, and Conservation

edited by Jason I. Ransom and Petra Kaczensky

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The first expert synthesis of the diverse studies conducted on wild equids worldwide.

Wild horses, zebras, asses, and feral equines exhibit intriguing and complex social structures that captivate the human imagination and elicit a wide range of emotions that influence conservation and management efforts. This book, spearheaded by Jason I. Ransom and Petra Kaczensky, brings together the world's leading experts on equid ecology, management, and conservation to provide a synthesis of what is known about these iconic species and what needs to be done to prevent losing some of them altogether.

The...

The first expert synthesis of the diverse studies conducted on wild equids worldwide.

Wild horses, zebras, asses, and feral equines exhibit intriguing and complex social structures that captivate the human imagination and elicit a wide range of emotions that influence conservation and management efforts. This book, spearheaded by Jason I. Ransom and Petra Kaczensky, brings together the world's leading experts on equid ecology, management, and conservation to provide a synthesis of what is known about these iconic species and what needs to be done to prevent losing some of them altogether.

The most comprehensive conservation book on wild equids in decades, this title will enlighten not only equid researchers, but also mammalogists, conservationists, and equine professionals. Readers will find new insight into the lives of the world's horses, zebras, and asses, understand the basis of our relationships with these animals, and develop a greater understanding of where equids come from and why they are worth conserving.

Included in this book are detailed, state-of-the-science syntheses on

Social structure, behavior, and cognition
Habitat and diet
Ecological niches
Population dynamics
Roles of humans in horse distribution through time
Human dimensions and the meaning of wild
Management of free-roaming horses
Captive breeding of wild equids
Conservation of wild equids
Conservation of migrations
Reintroductions
Genetics and paleogenetics

Reviews

Reviews

[Kaczensky and Ransom] will not only stimulate interest in this often forgotten but important group of ungulates, but also provide a basis for new ideas and protection concepts.

The depth and breadth of analysis of established knowledge in the field is unrivalled elsewhere, and this publication is recommended highly as a starting point for wildlife biologists, policy makers, behavioral ecologists, and anyone involved in equid management.

The editors of this book have done a masterful job assembling a comprehensive review of scientific research on equid behavior. This is essential reading for wildlife biologists, conservation specialists, and policymakers in equid management. The chapters, including one on the meaning of wild, display a tremendous range of knowledge.

People have interacted with equids for thousands of years, and domesticated horses and donkeys are very familiar parts of our lives. Yet most of the original wild equid species are highly threatened or even extinct. Wild Equids is the most comprehensive summary of all that we know about these remarkable animals: wild asses, wild horses and zebras. Anyone who has a serious interest in these species needs to start with this book.

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About

Book Details

Publication Date
Status
Available
Trim Size
7
x
10
Pages
248
ISBN
9781421419091
Illustration Description
31 b&w illus., 8 maps
Table of Contents

1. Equus: An Ancient Genus Surviving the Modern World
2. Social Organization of Wild Equids
3. Behavior of Horses, Zebras, and Asses
4. Habitat and Diet of Equids
5. Equids and Ecological Niches

1. Equus: An Ancient Genus Surviving the Modern World
2. Social Organization of Wild Equids
3. Behavior of Horses, Zebras, and Asses
4. Habitat and Diet of Equids
5. Equids and Ecological Niches: Behavioral and Life History: Variations on a Common Theme
6. Wild and Feral Equid Population Dynamics
7. Genetics and Paleogenetics of Equids
8. The Roles of Humans in Horse Distribution through Time
9. Human Dimensions of Wild Equid Management: Exploring the Meanings of "Wild"
10. Management of Free-Roaming Horses
11. Wild Equid Captive Breeding and Management
12. Status and Conservation of Threatened Equids
13. Challenges and Opportunities for Conserving Equid Migrations
14. Reintroduction of Wild Equids
Epilogue

Author Bios
Featured Contributor

Jason I. Ransom, Ph.D.

Jason I. Ransom is a senior wildlife biologist with the US National Park Service and an affiliate faculty member at Colorado State University.
Featured Contributor

Petra Kaczensky, Ph.D.

Petra Kaczensky is a senior researcher at the University of Veterinary Medicine’s Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology in Vienna.