Health Canada has given the green light for a birth control vaccine trial on wild horses in Alberta. The Alberta government deems it necessary to manage horse populations to prevent them from overgrazing cattle and wildlife areas.
Contraception is part of the strategies outlined in Alberta’s feral horse management framework, alongside removal and adoption. The province recently obtained a “research authorization” for the use of the SpayVac-Equid contraceptive vaccine for this purpose.
The latest feral horse survey identified 2,072 wild horses in Alberta’s equine management zones, with some zones showing unsustainable population levels. The province views these horses as strays rather than wildlife.
A previous contraception pilot project with the Wild Horses of Alberta Society utilized a different vaccine, ZonaStat-H, but faced challenges due to costs and rugged terrains. The new approach involves capturing, vaccinating, and releasing horses back into the wild, with marked vaccinated horses for future identification.
The Wild Horses of Alberta Society plans to implement the contraception project this autumn, aiming to control populations without drastic measures. The method boasts a high success rate, lasting contraceptive effects, and no need for booster shots. Additionally, the society focuses on rescuing and rehoming horses, with over 200 horses taken in since 2002.