Wild horses roaming Alberta’s eastern slopes near the mountains are a common sight for travelers along Highway 1 heading west from Calgary. However, the Alberta government has expressed concern over the growing number of “feral horses” in the region. The latest feral horse survey conducted by the province in April revealed a record-high count of 2,072 wild horses across Alberta’s six equine management zones. The populations in zones like Sundre, Ghost River, Elbow, and Clearwater have been deemed unsustainable ecologically.
Although the province does not manage the free-roaming horses along the Trans-Canada Highway, these horses are believed to have contributed to the increasing feral horse population in the surrounding areas. Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen emphasized the importance of controlling horse populations to prevent excessive grazing impacts on cattle and wildlife habitats.
The Alberta government’s feral horse management framework, implemented in 2023, outlines strategies such as wild horse removal, adoption programs, and contraception to manage the population. In zones where horse numbers surpass the acceptable threshold, options include licensed capture and horse sales. The government categorizes these horses as stray animals rather than wildlife.
In the Sundre equine management zone, where the population threshold is set at 1,000 horses, the latest count exceeded this mark, reaching 1,303 horses. However, an advocacy group, Help Alberta Wildies Society, disputes these figures, claiming a lower count of 1,005 horses based on their own aerial surveys. The group questions the significant increase reported by the province and challenges the accuracy of the data.
Minister Loewen defended the government’s counting methodology, stating that favorable weather conditions might have facilitated better horse sightings. Despite the discrepancies, he acknowledged a general trend of population growth over time. The advocacy group, with a substantial public following, aims to protect Alberta’s wild horses and opposes their removal from the landscape.
While the government is seeking federal approval to implement contraception measures, Loewen did not confirm ongoing horse capture initiatives. He emphasized the government’s role in safeguarding feral horses through regulations against poaching and unauthorized capture activities.