Tail hairs reveal dietary choices of three horse species in the Gobi Desert
Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 11:51
in Biology & Nature
Przewalski’s horse, a species of wild horse that has been successfully reintroduced to the Gobi Desert, shares its pasture grounds with wild asses and free-roaming domestic horses. A scarce supply of food could lead to food competition among the different species, especially if they make the same dietary choices. A team led by researchers therefore chemically analyzed the tail hairs of the animals to determine the seasonal dietary habits of the three species.