Alberta gets federal approval to test birth control vaccine on wild horses
The Alberta government has received federal authorization to test a birth control vaccine on wild horses to manage population levels. Officials state the current population is ecologically unsustainable and impacts grazing land for cattle and wildlife.
Why it matters
This represents a shift toward non-lethal, science-based wildlife management for feral populations that are often considered a nuisance to agricultural interests.
The Alberta government says horse populations in parts of the province have reached “unacceptable” levels. The province considers horse population control necessary to keep them from having too much of an impact on grazing areas for cattle and wildlife.
Contraception is one of the measures outlined in the province's feral horse management framework , which also lists removal from the wild and putting horses up for adoption as strategies for population control.
The Alberta government received a "research authorization" for the use of contraception vaccine SpayVac-Equid in late August, a Health Canada spokesperson confirmed to CBC News.
"This research authorization allows the product to be studied in feral horses; it does not constitute approval for general use," the federal agency said in a statement.
The Alberta government says it is "currently reviewing the approval details" related to horse contraception.
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