The new Equid Action Plan provides current knowledge on the biology, ecology and conservation status of wild zebras, asses, and horses. It specifies what information is lacking, and prioritizes needed conservation actions. The Action Plan also provides chapters on equid taxonomy, genetics, reproductive biology, and population dynamics. These chapters highlight unsolved issues of taxonomy and genetics. They also provide information and insight into the special demographic and genetic challenges of managing small populations. The chapter on disease provides a review of documented equine disease and epidemiology and focuses on priorities for equid conservation health. The final chapter deals with the importance of developing an assessment methodology that explicitly considers the role of equids in ecosystems and the ecological processes that are necessary for ecosystem viability. The approach of combining ecological field studies and ecosystem modeling should prove useful for the scientific management and conservation of wild equids worldwide. These chapters provide research and conservation practitioners with new information and paradigms.

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

Why do zebras have stripes? Popular explanations range from camouflage to confusion of predators, social facilitation, and even temperature regulation. It is a challenge to test these proposals on large animals living in the wild, but using a combination of careful observations, simple field experiments, comparative information, and logic, Caro concludes that black-and-white stripes are an adaptation to thwart biting fly attack.

The narrative of the progression of the ‘horse family’ through geological time, from dog-sized fruit-eating animals with four toes on their front and three toes on their hind legs, to the valiant long-legged, single-toed modern grazing horses, beloved by racing enthusiasts, is the poster child of evolution. However, like the rhinos or tapirs, the horse-like zebras, wild asses, kulans, kiangs, onagers, and the real horses are often portrayed as being past their evolutionary peak as compared to the more recently evolved ruminants (especially bovids and deer) which now dominate the grazing niche. That story of a species group over its evolutionary zenith is compelling, but anyone who has travelled in the remote savannas of Africa or the cold wild deserts of Central Asia is awed with herds of glorious animals that clearly do not ruminate. It appears as though these, so-named ‘hind-gut fermenters’, are perhaps much better adapted to these environments than one is led to believe. The purpose of this book is to dispel the myth of the inferior Equidae by describing, and investigating, the evolutionary and ecological journey of the horse family in all its glory.

Logically organized by taxonomic groups, this up-to-date text covers the diagnosis and treatment of all zoo animal species and free-ranging wildlife, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and fish, unlikely to be seen by private practice veterinarians. Featuring full-color images, the consistent, user-friendly format supplies information on each animal's biology, unique anatomy, special physiology, reproduction, restraint and handling, housing requirements, nutrition and feeding, surgery and anesthesia, diagnostics, therapeutics, and diseases. Global authorship includes multinational contributors who offer expert information on different species from around the world. "This is a welcome update to an invaluable reference series; a must-have for any veterinary professional working largely in the zoo or wildlife field, and also recommended as a reference text for the library of any practice seeing unusual species on a regular basis, even if they already have an earlier volume."Reviewed by: Charlotte Day on behalf of The Veterinary Record, Oct 14 - Global authorship includes internationally recognized authors who have contributed new chapters focusing on the latest research and clinical management of captive and free-ranging wild animals from around the world. - Zoological Information Management System chapter offers the latest update on this brand new system that contains a worldwide wealth of information. - General taxonomy-based format provides a comprehensive text for sharing information in zoo and wildlife medicine. - Concise tables provide quick reference to key points in the references. - NEW! All new authors have completely revised the content to provide fresh perspectives from leading experts in the field on the latest advances in zoo and wild animal medicine. - NEW! Color images vividly depict external clinical signs for more accurate recognition and diagnosis.

Mammals of Africa (MoA) is a series of six volumes which describes, in detail, every currently recognized species of African land mammal. This is the first time that such extensive coverage has ever been attempted, and the volumes incorporate the very latest information and detailed discussion of the morphology, distribution, biology and evolution (including reference to fossil and molecular data) of Africa's mammals. With more than 1,160 species and 16-18 orders, Africa has the greatest diversity and abundance of mammals in the world. The reasons for this and the mechanisms behind their evolution are given special attention in the series. Each volume follows the same format, with detailed profiles of every species and higher taxa. The series includes hundreds of colour illustrations and pencil drawings by Jonathan Kingdon highlighting the morphology and behaviour of the species concerned, as well as line drawings of skulls and jaws by Jonathan Kingdon and Meredith Happold. Every species also includes a detailed distribution map. Edited by Jonathan Kingdon, David Happold, Tom Butynski, Mike Hoffmann, Meredith Happold and Jan Kalina, and written by more than 350 authors, all experts in their fields, Mammals of Africa is as comprehensive a compendium of current knowledge as is possible. Extensive references alert readers to more detailed information. Volume V, edited by Jonathan Kingdon and Michael Hoffmann, comprises 83 species of carnivores, and includes jackals, wolves, dogs, foxes, weasels, polecats, striped weasels, Zorilla, otters, Ratel, fur seals, monk seals, Palm Civet, cats, genets, linsangs, African Civet, hyaenas, Aardwolf and mongooses. The volume is completed with profiles of four pangolins, four zebras and two rhinoceroses.

Mammals of Africa (MoA) is a series of six volumes which describes, in detail, every currently recognized species of African land mammal. This is the first time that such extensive coverage has ever been attempted, and the volumes incorporate the very latest information and detailed discussion of the morphology, distribution, biology and evolution (including reference to fossil and molecular data) of Africa's mammals. With 1,160 species and 16 orders, Africa has the greatest diversity and abundance of mammals in the world. The reasons for this and the mechanisms behind their evolution are given special attention in the series. Each volume follows the same format, with detailed profiles of every species and higher taxa. The series includes some 660 colour illustrations by Jonathan Kingdon and his many drawings highlight details of morphology and behaviour of the species concerned. Diagrams, schematic details and line drawings of skulls and jaws are by Jonathan Kingdon and Meredith Happold. Every species also includes a detailed distribution map. Extensive references alert readers to more detailed information. Volume I: Introductory Chapters and Afrotheria (352 pages) Volume II: Primates (560 pages) Volume III: Rodents, Hares and Rabbits (784 pages) Volume IV: Hedgehogs, Shrews and Bats (800 pages) Volume V: Carnivores, Pangolins, Equids and Rhinoceroses (560 pages) Volume VI: Pigs, Hippopotamuses, Chevrotain, Giraffes, Deer and Bovids (704 pages)

Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia, Second Edition is a fully updated and revised version of the first comprehensive reference on anesthetic techniques in captive and free-ranging wildlife. Now including expanded coverage of avian and aquatic species, this exhaustive resource presents information on the full range of zoo and wildlife species. Covering topics ranging from monitoring and field anesthesia to CPR and euthanasia, the heart of the book is devoted to 53 species-specific chapters providing a wealth of information on little-known and common zoo and wildlife animals alike. In addition to new species chapters, the new edition brings a new focus on pain management, including chronic pain, and more information on species-specific physiology. Chapters on airway management, monitoring, emergency therapeutics, and field procedures are all significantly expanded as well. This update to Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia is an invaluable addition to the library of all zoo and wildlife veterinarians.

Relating to horse and donkey ownership, The Handbook of Horses and Donkeys is an introductory guide providing expert advice on current ethical management practices. The history, evolution, and domestication of equids is covered, along with equine anatomy, physiology, nutrition, behaviour, learning and cognition, communication, health and disease, hoof care, first aid, parasitic infections, preventive measures, pregnancy, and foal management. Functional topics are also covered, including: body condition scoring; estimating body weight; calculating dietary rations; stabling; management of abnormal behaviours; and stereotypes. The information presented is expert-led but designed to be applicable to the novice or experienced owner in the stable yard. (5m Books)

Using Science to Improve the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: A Way Forward reviews the science that underpins the Bureau of Land Management's oversight of free-ranging horses and burros on federal public lands in the western United States, concluding that constructive changes could be implemented. The Wild Horse and Burro Program has not used scientifically rigorous methods to estimate the population sizes of horses and burros, to model the effects of management actions on the animals, or to assess the availability and use of forage on rangelands. Evidence suggests that horse populations are growing by 15 to 20 percent each year, a level that is unsustainable for maintaining healthy horse populations as well as healthy ecosystems. Promising fertility-control methods are available to help limit this population growth, however. In addition, science-based methods exist for improving population estimates, predicting the effects of management practices in order to maintain genetically diverse, healthy populations, and estimating the productivity of rangelands. Greater transparency in how science-based methods are used to inform management decisions may help increase public confidence in the Wild Horse and Burro Program.