Letea

The horses are kept both feral and semi-feral, because some horses are caught by locals when needed, but many are left feral, and are not managed. The main problem is the uncontrolled increase of population, and thus for eg, the strain on the neighbouring strictly protected Letea forest is apparently higher. On the other hand there is a big population of free grazing cattle which are not considered to be a problem – obviously one has to consider them as well.
Details:  
Country Romania, RO
Location Danube Delta, Romania
Species Horse
Management feral
Population size T: 700-1000 (f 400+, m 300+)
Morphology Clour: usually bay, brown, black; Height (cm) 140-145; Weight (kg) 200-400
History The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority (ARBDD) intends to carry out a project aimed at protecting both the feral horses that live in the Reserve and one of Romania´s oldest natural areas standing under strict protection, the Letea Forest.
Need for Action Horses are damaging the protected forest area; animals need to be provided with an area out of the forest, but providing similar living conditions, actually a sort of wide closure horses should not be able to get out of and where visitors could see them.
The horses have to be managed properly otherwise they could get a disease. Different stakeholders might want to get rid of the horses through shooting. Therefore a birth control program which should sustainably reduce the feral population to allow an acceptable balance between flora and fauna is under construction. Currently there is a collaboration with local and national authorities to solve this “problem”.
Contact VIER PFOTEN International
Robert Hengl
Linke Wienzeile. 236, 1150 Vienna, Austria
Source of information
Hyperlink http://www.lhnet.org/letea-forest-horse/ ; www.vier-pfoten.org

Letea-forest-horse-Dan-Zloteanu.jpg

http://www.wild-danube-delta.com/project-to-prevent-feral-hoses-from-entering-the-letea-forest

 

Letea Forest Horse:

Letea_Forest_Horses.jpg

Dan-Zloteanu, http://www.lhnet.org/letea-forest-horse/
 
Letea wild-horses-danube-delta:

Letea wild-horses-danube-delta.jpg

http://www.wild-danube-delta.com/project-to-prevent-feral-hoses-from-entering-the-letea-forest