Feral horse habitat selection patterns and forage attributes on available habitats were studied on public rangelands of southcentral Wyoming. Environmental assessments preceding roundup of excess horses requires resource data to justify the number of horses removed. Randomly selected bands of horses were followed for 24-hour observation periods during the spring and summer to determine if they utilized habitats in proportion to their abundance. We also determined if forage abundance, succulence (an index to forage palatability), percent utilization, and dietary composition were related to habitats selected. Streamsides, bog/meadows, and mountain sagebrush habitats were preferentially selected (p less than or equal to 0.05). Lowland sagebrush habitats were avoided and no apparent selection behavior was shown for grassland and coniferous forest habitats. Forage abundance, palatability, and percent utilization were higher (p less than or equal to 0.05) in streamside and bog/meadow habitat classes. Diet composition indicated that sedges (Carex sp.), common in streamsides and bog/meadows, were an important forage of feral horses. Palatability and abundance of graminoid vegetation and proximity to preferred habitats seemed to be the primary influences on habitat selection by feral horses. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.