Danube Delta horse
Encyclopedia
Danube Delta horse refers to a population of feral horse
found in and around Letea Forest
, located in the Danube Delta
, between the Sulina
and Chilia
branches of Danube
. About 3600 feral horses live in the Danube Delta, 2000 in the Letea nature reserve, where on one hand, they are among the last remaining "wild" (feral) horses living at large on the European continent, but are also deemed to be a threat to the flora of the forest, including to some plants on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Although feral horses have existed for hundreds of years in the region, their number greatly increased after the collective farms
were closed down in 1990 and the horses belonging to them being freed. Today, the Letea population is not regulated and there are concerns that overgrazing is a looming problem.
The horses on Letea are black
or bay, without white spots. They stand between 14.1 and 14.3 hands ( 1.45 to 1.5 m (57.1 to 59.1 in)) and are of a strong build. They are of a different breed than the close by Sfântu Gheorghe
breed. They are not of a riding horse build, but are built like working horses of the Nonius
type.
In 2002, some of these horses were captured and transported to Italy
and slaughtered
. Some organizations objected to removal, holding that the horses had value in being adapted to the location and possessing natural social behavior. Another push for removal and slaughter began in 2009, but horses cannot be currently removed from the area because a number of animals carry equine infectious anemia
. Therefore, according to Romanian regulation, they are not allowed to be taken out of the quarantine area. Currently, there is an ongoing project, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature
, seeking to find a way to remove these horses. While some organizations object to total removal and advocate for some animals to remain, others are attempting to find a different preserve for the horses to live.
Feral horse
A feral horse is a free-roaming horse of domesticated ancestry. As such, a feral horse is not a wild animal in the sense of an animal without domesticated ancestors. However, some populations of feral horses are managed as wildlife, and these horses often are popularly called "wild" horses...
found in and around Letea Forest
Letea Forest
Letea Forest is the oldest natural reservation in Romania that was established in 1938, when the Romanian Council of Ministers passed Decision No. 645 declaring the Letea Forest a nature reserve. It is located between the Sulina and Chilia branches of Danube in the Danube Delta...
, located in the Danube Delta
Danube Delta
The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
, between the Sulina
Sulina branch
The Sulina branch is a distributary of the river Danube, that contributes in forming the Danube Delta.The other two main branches of the Danube are the Chilia branch and the Saint George....
and Chilia
Chilia branch
The Chilia or Kilia branch is a distributary of the river Danube, that contributes in forming the Danube Delta. It is named after the two towns having this name, located on its two shores: Kilia, on the northern, Ukrainian bank and Chilia Veche on the southern, Romanian bank.The other two main...
branches of Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
. About 3600 feral horses live in the Danube Delta, 2000 in the Letea nature reserve, where on one hand, they are among the last remaining "wild" (feral) horses living at large on the European continent, but are also deemed to be a threat to the flora of the forest, including to some plants on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Although feral horses have existed for hundreds of years in the region, their number greatly increased after the collective farms
Collective farming
Collective farming and communal farming are types of agricultural production in which the holdings of several farmers are run as a joint enterprise...
were closed down in 1990 and the horses belonging to them being freed. Today, the Letea population is not regulated and there are concerns that overgrazing is a looming problem.
The horses on Letea are black
Black (horse)
Black is a hair coat color of horses in which the entire hair coat is black. Black is a relatively uncommon coat color, and novices frequently mistake dark chestnuts or bays for black. However, some breeds of horses, such as the Friesian horse, Murgese and Ariegeois are almost exclusively black...
or bay, without white spots. They stand between 14.1 and 14.3 hands ( 1.45 to 1.5 m (57.1 to 59.1 in)) and are of a strong build. They are of a different breed than the close by Sfântu Gheorghe
Sfântu Gheorghe, Tulcea
Sfântu Gheorghe is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania. It is located at the end of the southern arm of the Danube near the Black Sea, in the Dobruja region. It is composed of a single village, Sfântu Gheorghe. It has approximately 1000 inhabitants.-Town:...
breed. They are not of a riding horse build, but are built like working horses of the Nonius
Nonius (horse)
The Nonius, or Nóniusz, is a horse breed named after its Anglo-Norman foundation sire. The breed was developed at the Imperial Stud at Mezőhegyes, Hungary by careful linebreeding. Originally bred to serve as a light draft and utility horse for Hungary's military, the breed became a useful...
type.
In 2002, some of these horses were captured and transported to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and slaughtered
Horse meat
Horse meat is the culinary name for meat cut from a horse. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in Central Asia, but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from Europe to South America to Asia. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses...
. Some organizations objected to removal, holding that the horses had value in being adapted to the location and possessing natural social behavior. Another push for removal and slaughter began in 2009, but horses cannot be currently removed from the area because a number of animals carry equine infectious anemia
Equine infectious anemia
Equine infectious anemia or equine infectious anaemia , also known by horsemen as swamp fever, is a horse disease caused by a retrovirus and transmitted by bloodsucking insects. The virus is endemic in the Americas, parts of Europe, the Middle and Far East, Russia, and South Africa. The virus is a...
. Therefore, according to Romanian regulation, they are not allowed to be taken out of the quarantine area. Currently, there is an ongoing project, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Fund for Nature
The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...
, seeking to find a way to remove these horses. While some organizations object to total removal and advocate for some animals to remain, others are attempting to find a different preserve for the horses to live.
