Health Canada has given the green light to a birth control vaccine for testing on wild horses in Alberta. The Alberta government deems it necessary to manage horse populations to prevent them from overgrazing areas crucial for cattle and wildlife. Alongside contraception, the province’s feral horse management framework includes strategies such as removal from the wild and adoption.
The Alberta government recently obtained a “research authorization” to use the contraceptive vaccine SpayVac-Equid on feral horses. This authorization allows for studying the product’s effects on wild horses but does not grant approval for general use. Alberta authorities are currently evaluating the specifics of the approval related to horse contraception.
A recent feral horse survey in Alberta identified a record-high count of 2,072 wild horses in six equine management zones, with some zones showing unsustainable population levels. The government views these horses as stray animals rather than wildlife.
In an effort to control the wild horse population, the province collaborated with the Wild Horses of Alberta Society on a contraception pilot project in 2014. The project involved administering a vaccine called ZonaStat-H via darting wild horses. Despite some success, the project highlighted challenges such as high costs and the rugged terrain making it difficult to monitor and administer booster shots.
The new approach involves capturing horses, administering the SpayVac-Equid vaccine manually, and releasing them back into the wild with markings for identification. This method boasts a high success rate, lasting contraceptive effects, and avoids altering herd dynamics. Unlike the previous vaccine, SpayVac-Equid does not require booster shots.
The Wild Horses of Alberta Society plans to implement the contraception project this autumn as part of a comprehensive population control strategy. The initiative will also involve capturing a limited number of young stallions for removal from the wild. The society, established in 2002, focuses on rescuing, rehabilitating, and adopting out horses, with over 200 horses taken in to date.