Original Research

Genetic variation in the feral horses of the Namib Desert, Namibia

E.G. Cothran, E. Van Dyk, F.J. Van der Merwe
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association | Vol 72, No 1 | a603 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v72i1.603 | © 2001 E.G. Cothran, E. Van Dyk, F.J. Van der Merwe | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 09 July 2001 | Published: 09 July 2001

About the author(s)

E.G. Cothran,
E. Van Dyk,
F.J. Van der Merwe,

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Abstract

Genetic variation at 7 blood-group and 10 biochemical genetic loci was examined in 30 horses from a feral herd from the Namib Desert of Namibia, Africa. The observed genetic variability was extremely low compared with that found in domestic horse breeds. The low variation was most probably a result of recent small population size and a small founding population size. Genetic comparison of the Namib horses, which were of unknown origins, to domestic horse breeds, showed that the Namib horses had the highest genetic similarity to Arabian type horses, although they did not closely resemble this type of horse in conformation.

Keywords

Biochemical Genetics; Blood Groups; Feral Horses Genetic Distance; Genetic Variation

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