A team of researchers from the University of Vienna in Austria has used drones to reveal the complex social structure of wild horses. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that wild horses live in a multilevel society that is organized into herds, harems, and family groups.

The researchers used two drones to track the movements of each individual in a herd of 278 Przewalski’s horses. Przewalski’s horses are a wild horse species that is native to Central Asia. The drones were equipped with high-resolution cameras that allowed the researchers to identify and track the horses over time.

The analysis of the drone footage showed that the horses formed a complex network of social relationships. The horses within a herd were not evenly connected to each other. Instead, the horses were clustered into smaller groups, such as harems and family groups.

Harems are groups of female horses that are led by a single stallion. The stallion mates with all of the females in the harem. Family groups are made up of related horses, such as mothers, fathers, and their offspring.

The researchers found that the social relationships of the horses were related to kinship and familiarity. For example, female horses that had been harem mates for a longer time were more likely to be connected to each other in the social network. Kinship may also play a role in the organization of harems into herds. For example, harems of sibling stallions were more likely to be connected to each other than harems of unrelated stallions.

The findings of this study provide new insights into the social structure of wild horses. The study suggests that wild horses are not simply social animals that live in herds. Instead, they live in a complex society that is organized into a variety of groups.

The study also has implications for the management of wild horses. The researchers suggest that managers should take into account the social structure of wild horses when making decisions about how to manage their populations. For example, managers should avoid separating horses from their social groups, as this can cause stress and even death.

The study is a significant contribution to our understanding of the social behavior of wild horses. It provides new insights into how these animals live and interact with each other. The findings of the study could help us to better manage wild horse populations and ensure their long-term survival.

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