The social organisation of feral donkeys (Equus asinus) on a small Caribbean island (St. John, US Virgin Islands)

Rudman, Rebecca

doi:10.1016/s0168-1591(98)00165-8

Cited by 18 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Male dominance and aggression is usually considered a key feature of territoriality and dominant, territorial males generally do not tolerate other males within their core territories-which can overlap with other male core territories, however (see Klingel, 1998). Intraspecific variation in social structure among type II equids is reported and has been linked to ecological factors such as differences in habitat (e.g., Moehlman, 1998;Rudman, 1998) and pressure from social predators (Feh et al, 2001). Socioecological explanations of variation in the social organization of equids have been criticized, however, since they are not supported across their geographical range (Linklater, 2000) and this issue remains a subject of debate among equid ethologists.…”

Section: Equid Ethology and Human Predation Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The systematic position ofEquus hydruntinus,an extinct species of Pleistocene equid☆

2003

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Palaeolithic people commonly hunted Equus hydruntinus, an extinct species of equid whose cursorial body proportions suggest an adaptation to semi-arid conditions. Despite the frequency with which it is encountered in fossil deposits, only partial cranial remains have been reported until now. As a result, the systematic affiliation of the species remains a subject of controversy. Two nearly complete E. hydruntinus crania are presented here for the first time. These skulls show that E. hydruntinus is a distinct species, more closely related to the hemiones (Asiatic asses) than to any other equid. This suggests that the social organisation of E. hydruntinus followed one of two known equid sociotypes: resource defense territoriality.

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Section: Equid Ethology and Human Predation Patternsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The systematic position ofEquus hydruntinus,an extinct species of Pleistocene equid☆

2003

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“…This is particularly true for feral donkeys. While impact studies of feral goat and European rabbits on island ecosystems and successful eradications have been reported (Coblentz 1978;Parkes 1990;Chapuis et al 2001;Bullock et al 2002;Donlan et al 2002Donlan et al , 2003aCampbell et al 2004;Chapuis et al 2004;Campbell and Donlan 2005), primary literature on insular feral donkey populations is largely limited to behavioral observations and disease ecology (Smith and Latham 1978;Fowler de Neira and Johnson 1985;Rudman 1998). Here, we briefly summarize the few feral donkey impact studies and documented removals, and report on the successful large-scale eradication of feral donkey populations from Santiago Island and Alcedo Volcano on Isabela Island in the Gala´pagos archipelago.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feral donkey (Equus asinus) eradications in the Galápagos

et al. 2006

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Introduced herbivores are major drivers of ecosystem change and biodiversity loss, particularly on islands. Tools and techniques now exist to routinely remove introduced herbivores from islands, providing a powerful conservation tool. Here, we summarize the few documented feral donkey removals on islands worldwide, and report on the removal of populations from the Gala´pagos archipelago, Ecuador. After decades of sporadic control programs on Santiago Island and Alcedo Volcano, Isabela Island, donkey populations were removed from both areas, concurrent with a goat eradication program. Both ground and aerial hunting programs were utilized. The latter method was highly efficient; donkeys were removed from Santiago Island with less than 80 h of aerial hunting. Given the clear impacts of introduced herbivores on islands worldwide, feral donkey populations should be routinely removed from islands.

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“…Studies of feral donkeys have focused on behavior (e.g., Rudman 1998), food habits (e.g., Woodward and Ohmart 1976), habitat use, population dynamics, and interactions with other species (e.g., Seegmiller and Ohmart 1981). Often, the purpose of these studies has been for evaluation of suspected adverse effects of feral donkeys on habitats where they were introduced.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feral donkey Equus asinus populations on the Karpaz peninsula, Cyprus

Hamrick

Pirgalioglu²,

Gündüz

et al. 2005

Eur J Wildl Res

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Numerous researchers have documented the adverse effects of feral donkeys Equus asinus introduced to semi-arid ecosystems. With the release of feral donkeys and potential increasing populations in natural habitats in northern Cyprus, there is concern for negative impacts on vegetation and native species. In the north of the island, there has been only one published study of feral donkey populations, and population estimators were relatively subjective. We estimated feral donkey populations on the Karpaz Peninsula using line transect surveys and quantitative distance sampling estimators. We stratified the sampling by using 11 sample units within the study area. We evaluated potential biases associated with habitat, topography, and perpendicular distance from the transect line and found that these variables did not bias donkey detections during our surveys. Using program DISTANCE, we found that a hazard rate cosine model was the best model that described our distance data based on model selection criterion (Akaike's Information Criteria adjusted for small sample bias). Estimated effective strip width was 280.19 m and detection probability was 0.47 with this model. Estimated donkey density was 6.7 donkeys/km 2 , and estimated total abundance was 800 donkeys for the entire 132.5 km 2 study area. Of 95 donkey groups detected: 16% were detected in agricultural habitats with flat topography, 9% were detected in agricultural habitats with sloped topography, 24% were detected in shrub/forest habitats with flat topography, and 51% were detected in shrub/forest habitats with sloped topography. Of 102 behavioral observations recorded (multiple behaviors were detected in groups), frequencies of behaviors were 1% bedded, 70% standing, 22% grazing, 6% moving, and 2% other. Our estimated donkey population density in the Karpaz Peninsula was >2 times densities reported in arid regions of the United States and Australia, but slightly lower than earlier density estimates reported for the Karpaz region. These estimates of feral donkey populations in the Karpaz Peninsula provide a quantitative baseline from which to make population management decisions.

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The social organisation of feral donkeys (Equus asinus) on a small Caribbean island (St. John, US Virgin Islands)

Cited by 18 publications

References 21 publications

The systematic position ofEquus hydruntinus,an extinct species of Pleistocene equid☆

The systematic position ofEquus hydruntinus,an extinct species of Pleistocene equid☆

Feral donkey (Equus asinus) eradications in the Galápagos

Feral donkey Equus asinus populations on the Karpaz peninsula, Cyprus

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