Wild Equids: Urgent Action Needed...Wildlife Trust Announces Release of Conservation Plan

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Wild Equids: Urgent Action Needed...Wildlife Trust Announces Release of Conservation Plan

NEW YORK, PALISADES, Mar. 17 -/E-Wire/-- Wildlife Trust announces the release of Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan, edited by Dr. Patricia Moehlman, Wildlife Trust Program Leader and Chair of the Equid Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union's (IUCN) Species Survival Commission.

Zebras, asses, and horses are charismatic, large animals that have thrilled and fascinated humans throughout the world with their power, grace, and agility since the time when our ancestors first drew them on cave walls. During the Pleistocene era, equids were the most abundant, medium-sized grazing animals of the grasslands and steppes of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. "Today there remains only seven species and many of these are at risk of extinction, mainly due to human activities," says Dr. Moehlman.

"This new Action Plan for the conservation of equids is an urgently needed response to the problem of creating effective conservation strategies in equid habitats," writes Dr. Mary Pearl, President of Wildlife Trust, "Its value has been greatly enhanced because its authors are grounded in the realities of local socio-economic circumstances as well as cognizant of the scientific basis needed for the protection and management of species."

Wildlife Trust is an international conservation science organization that partners with local scientists and educators worldwide on innovative solutions to save threatened wild species and their habitats (www.wildlifetrust.org).

"Most of the endangered equids live in desert and savanna ecosystems," says Dr. Moehlman, "These habitats are not rich in biodiversity, but do contain unique and endemic animals and plants. Zebras, asses, and horses can serve as 'flagship' species for the conservation of these ecosystems and their biodiversity," she added. "The arid homes of many equids are also home to human populations that face the same extreme environmental pressures. Involving local nomadic peoples in conservation management is essential in the maintenance of equid populations".

Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan is a thorough, science-based assessment of the equids and their ecosystems. Today, only seven equid species remain, and most of these are threatened and classified as Endangered or Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Speciesâ¢. They face the demographic and genetic challenges of managing small populations. The Action Plan is an urgently needed tool that can be used by wildlife managers and decision makers to help guide the development of comprehensive conservation strategies for wild equids, helping to maintain and perhaps even improve the current status of these threatened species.

The new Equid Action Plan provides current knowledge on the biology, ecology and conservation status of the seven equid species, and prioritizes important conservation actions. It is the result of many experts working together as part of IUCN's Species Survival Commission to develop programs to study, understand, and manage wisely wild equids and their habitats. For those interested in the biology and conservation of the zebras, asses and horses of the world, this publication represents the new benchmark of knowledge in the field.

Equids: Zebras, Asses and Horses. Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan is available through the IUCN Publications Services Unit, 219c Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DL, United Kingdom: Tel: +44 1223 277894; fax +44 1223 277175; e-mail [REDACTED-EMAIL]

To interview Dr. Moehlman, please contact:

Communications Officer

[REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://www.wildlifetrust.org

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