ecological and human dimensions of strongmanagementstrong of feral horses.pdfVIP

CSIRO PUBLISHING Wildlife Research, 2007, 34, 408–417 www.publish.csiro.au/journals/wr Ecological and human dimensions of management of feral horses in Australia: a review Dale Graeme NimmoA,B and Kelly K. MillerA ASchool of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Vic. 3125, Australia. BCorresponding author. Landscape Ecology Research Group, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, Vic. 3125, Australia. Email: dgni@.au Abstract. In Australia, the management of feral horse populations is a contentious issue, owing to their pluralistic status as an introduced pest and a national icon. In this review, we synthesise current knowledge of the ecological effects of feral horses and the human dimensions of feral horse management, using case studies from around the world to illustrate con- tentious and successful management practices. We highlight gaps in the literature and suggest that more peer-reviewed research would be beneficial in reducing the current public controversy surrounding management of feral horses. Introduction Although human values towards wildlife have been important in precisely such circumstances that ecological and human- since the inception of wildlife management in the early 20th dimensions studies are pertinent to the formulation of appropri- century, it wasn’t until the mid–late 1960s that the need for a ate government policy. The primary aims of this review are to field of study based solely on human–wildlife interactions was synthesise current knowledge on the ecological effects of feral realised (see Decker et al. 2001).