嘿嘿视频

Saving a Dying Breed

Wild Horses Living on California鈥檚 Channel Islands Evolved Into a Unique Breed but Face an Uncertain Future on the Mainland

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Photo of horse being trained
Abby Followwill, a trainer at El Campeon Farms, works with a young Santa Cruz Island Horse. Joe Proudman / 嘿嘿视频

For more than a century, wild horses lived on Santa Cruz Island, becoming a breed of their own, with unique traits formed by generations of living on the rugged Channel Islands. Now off of the island, the repercussions of seclusion have left the breed teetering on the brink of extinction.

A multimedia story posted today explores how researchers from 嘿嘿视频 are working to preserve the Santa Cruz Island horse.

photo of horse
Truffles, the oldest Santa Cruz Island stallion at El Campeon Farms. Karin Higgins / 嘿嘿视频

鈥淚t鈥檚 truly a piece of California history we鈥檙e trying to preserve,鈥 said 嘿嘿视频 researcher Amy McLean. 鈥淚f we lose these genetics, we lose these horses, we lose that history and a part of our heritage.鈥

Read the story and watch the videos, 鈥淪aving a Dying Breed.鈥

 

Media Resources

Joe Proudman, 嘿嘿视频 Strategic Communications, 530-752-6397, jproudman@ucdavis.edu

Amy McLean, 嘿嘿视频 Animal Science, 706-296-8743, acmclean@ucdavis.edu

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