How Australia's Wild Horses Survive In Harsh Desert Environments

Australia's wild horses. Newcomers to this ancient land. Facing formidable predators. Living among extraordinary neighbours. Species that have occupied this continent for tens of thousands of years. Abandoned by those who first brought them here. They forged their own way of life. Over hundreds of years they bred into a hardy stock. Able to survive in the driest deserts. And withstand the fiercest alpine winters. Theirs is a remarkable story of survival. Against the odds. And against the elements. Australia, the driest inhabited continent on earth. Most of its vast interior is desolate and unforgiving. Only the hardiest survive here. A realm horses don't belong to. Over millions of years in complete isolation. The native wildlife has evolved and adapted to these harsh conditions. Some have taken on strange forms. But not all creatures here can claim such an ancient lineage. Wild horses are relatively new arrivals. The descendants of domestic horses first brought by British colonists some 250 years ago. This mare is leading her family across the desert sands. Ground temperatures here can reach up to 50 degrees. The horses must remain on the move. The stallion is responsible for the rear guard. He is both sire and protector of the band. But like the rest of the herd he too follows the direction of the lead mare. She is the keeper of critical knowledge. Passed down through generations from mother to daughter. She holds an intricate mental map of the region's precious water sources. Exclusive to the matrilineal line. Water sources are scarce in these arid grasslands and stony deserts. An expanse that is notoriously inhospitable. Unpredictable. And expands more than 70% of the continent. Over 5 million square kilometers. It's been several days since the horses last had a drink. It hasn't rained here for months. Only the larger watering holes remain. And they are few and far between. But the lead mare's memory doesn't let them down. The long wait is over. The horses relish the moment. Drawing the attention of some neighborhood locals. Around these waterholes wild horses are commonplace. But it hasn't always been so. The first horses arrived in Australia with British colonists in 1788. Only seven survived the treacherous nine-month ocean voyage. In high demand new stock soon arrived. Thoroughbreds, Clydesdale, Arabian and Timor pony breeds. From the outset cross-breeding resulted in versatile robust offspring. Tough horses for a tough country. Horses were key to establishing the new colony. They were used to muster livestock, till fields, and to carry European pioneers into the vast uncharted interior. By the early 20th century horses had become a part of the national identity. In 1914 when Australian soldiers joined their European allies in the First World War, colonial steeds came with them. Many lost their lives ferrying troops and supplies to and from the front lines. Others fought on the front line itself. In 1917 during the famous Battle of Besheba, the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade helped secure a crucial allied victory. But in war there are no winners. Of the 160,000 Australian horses sent overseas, few made it back home. They returned to peace but a world in which machines were taking over. With less demand for stock breeders opened up their gates. They had earned their freedom and a chance to run wild. By mid-summer the beating sun of the Australian outback is deadly. The Black Stallion and his band have lingered at an isolated waterhole for several days, uninterrupted, but not for long. As numbers rise, tempers flare. Family groups made up of a stallion, several mares and their offspring are generally harmonious. But coming in to stir things up is a local bachelor band. A group of rowdy young stallions who haven't yet settled down to start their own families. These young males would prefer to poach a ready-made herd than start one from scratch. The Dark Stallion stands his ground and defends his herd. The boldest young bachelor pays no attention and advances on one of the mares. It's a challenge that cannot go unanswered. While the Dark Stallion takes on the aggressor, a second bay bachelor attacks him from behind. Forced to defend himself on two fronts, the dominant male is in danger of being usurped. The scars he bears are testament to his resilience and he will not give up without a fight. Boldly, he confronts the bay. But in the heat of the battle, the two challengers turn on each other, leaving a window of opportunity for the Dark Stallion to round up his harem and retreat. Forced from the watering hole, the herd must now head out into the barren expanse in search of food. The drought has already begun to take its toll. Palatable grass is becoming difficult to find. Horses are intelligent and resourceful creatures, even when faced with such odds. While it's exclusively the mares that hold the key to finding water, over time both male and female horses learn the tracks to the best grazing areas. And by working together, they improve their chances of survival. Competition for the best patches of grass is fierce, and the locals don't take kindly to these new intruders. The ancestors of the Red Kangaroo have been in Australia for over 65 million years, and they have thrived where others have failed. Once covered in lush forests, over eons the continent's interior has progressively dried out. Failing to adapt to these changes, most native placental mammals died out long ago. Marsupials, on the other hand, thrived by being able to adapt to both the good times and the bad. A female Red Kangaroo gives birth under the cover of darkness. Blind and only a few centimetres long, the undeveloped young must make its way from its mother's womb to a teat in her pouch. Within hours of giving birth, a new egg is released into the mother's uterus, and she's ready to breed again. A doe can have one joey at foot, a younger sibling suckling in her pouch, and yet another in her womb. When food and water isn't limited, kangaroo populations can explode. But in dry times, a mother can delay the development of an embryo until conditions improve, giving her offspring the best possible start to life, and a competitive edge over placental mammals, like horses. In drought, Red Kangaroos must also travel great distances in search of food and water, and for this, they are well equipped. Their unique locomotion is one of the most efficient of all mammals. They expend less energy while hopping at full tilt than they do while grazing. But arriving first doesn't always guarantee success. Intimidated by their large size, kangaroos are reluctant to feed alongside horses. A new challenge for an ancient survivor. There are thought to be more than 600,000 wild horses in Australia, more than any other place on earth. Voracious eaters, they spend up to 80% of their day grazing, along with other invasive herbivores like camels, goats, and donkeys. They are literally eating the heart out of Australia. Leaving little behind for local wildlife, who struggle to compete. However, horses are not the only outsiders who have come to call Australia home. Introduced by European settlers, feral cats and foxes have quickly adapted to their new surroundings and now wreak environmental havoc. They prey on native birds, reptiles, and small mammals. Feral cats kill tens of millions of native animals every night, pushing some towards the brink of extinction. These wild horses have been branded ferals, forced to go on the run. Copters have long since replaced mounted riders and the stockman's whip on the muster. To preserve national park areas for native species, wild horses are rounded up. Caught up in the melee, the dark stallion breaks from the herd, leading his band to safety. The pilots corral the remaining horses through narrow gorges towards makeshift stockyards. But horses are cunning and don't make their job easy. The pilot's patience is eventually rewarded. Once a band's lead mare enters the yard, the rest of the family follows. Bringing up the rear, a stallion senses the entrapment and makes a final dash for freedom. He may have evaded capture, but he faces a new peril. Separated from his band and unlikely to find water on his own, this stallion will need to secure a place in a new family group or risk dying of thirst. The fate of his family hangs in the balance. While some may be broken in and used as stock horses, others will be transported to abattoirs to be processed as pet food for the international market. If they are lucky, the feistier amongst them may be earmarked for a brighter future. Life in the limelight. A cultural icon, the bush tradition of horsemanship is kept alive today when the rodeo comes to town. A celebration of the beauty and majesty of the wild horse and a desire to bend its will. A spectacle of man versus beast. While an institution of outback life, the modern rodeo is coming under increased scrutiny for violation of animal rights. Recently banned in Britain and parts of the United States, the future of the Australian rodeo remains uncertain. Far from the spotlight, the battle for survival in the wild goes on. In thirsty times, a solitary waterhole is a beacon of hope. But this place of refuge is not without dangers. Predators come here not only to quench their thirst, but to hunt. Very little escapes the watchful eyes and razor-sharp talons of the wedge-tailed eagle. With the scent of blood in the air, other predators are never far away. Dingoes, the wolves of the Australian outback and the continent's largest terrestrial carnivore. Few are safe from their formidable attack. Opportunists, the wild dogs hungrily eye a nearby foal. Although vulnerable, it's well protected by the band. Seeking refuge, a rabbit finds sanctuary alongside an unlikely ally. But dingoes are patient predators and rarely miss an opportunity. The silence of the desert is broken as a mega-flock of budgerigars arrives at a watering hole. The birds number in the thousands. Even after a long flight, they scan the horizon before attempting to drink. They are right to be wary. Dingoes aren't the only predators lurking nearby. Drawn to the commotion, raptors keep a keen eye on the flock. As the budgerigars begin to drink, whistling kites target distracted individuals at the water's edge. While from above, falcons commence an aerial assault. In an attempt to disorient their agile pursuers, the flock moves as a single column. Anyone who falls behind becomes easy game. For the raptors, it's a feast amidst famine. Like the passing of a desert storm, the mega-flock moves off in search of food. The band must also push on. No edible vegetation is left. The plants remaining are high in toxins and cause a neurological condition known as Birdsville disease. Affecting coordination of the hind legs, the consequences can be fatal. The herd must make a long and risky journey through the desert in search of food. A journey that will take them far from water. The lead mare sets out on an uncertain future. Behind her, the dark stallion attempts to dissuade others from following. But through sheer desperation, a band of young stallions follows at a distance. If left behind, they'll surely perish. Weakened by hunger, the lead mare heads for a location she's not visited for several seasons. It's a risky move. If her memory fails her, or if the water sources have dried up, she will be leading her family to their doom. Dry conditions not only suck the moisture from grasses, but make them susceptible to bushfire. Even native species that have endured these conditions for eons succumb to the drought. Amongst the desolation, one group of animals not only survives, but thrives. There are more reptiles here than anywhere else on earth. One of the most peculiar locals measures just 20 centimeters from head to tail, but is covered in spiny armor. The thorny devil's weaponry not only deters predators, but is an astonishing cooling system. Tiny grooves running between the spines are used as channels to draw up groundwater and feed it into the lizard's mouth. With the aid of capillary action, they can even collect dew from the cool night air, cheating death while they sleep. Shaped by a millennia of evolution, it's an extreme adaptation to a testing environment. The horses, meanwhile, are flagging. And the lead mare picks up the pace as another reptile slithers into their path. An inland taipan, the world's most venomous snake. A single bite is potent enough to kill 100 men in under an hour. The lead mare spots the danger and charts a safe course. Following close behind, the bachelors, however, are less observant. The unwary stallion's death will be swift. For the others, there appears to be hope on the horizon. But what appears to be distant water is nothing more than a mirage, a cruel hoax of the desert. Once a flowing creek, now nothing more than sunburnt sand and stone. While reptiles thrive in these conditions, it's another story for mammals. Horses regulate their body temperature by perspiring. While this function has an evaporative cooling effect, it comes at a price. Out here, every drop of water is precious. Red kangaroos have evolved to only sweat while active. During the heat of the day, they remain dormant. And they cool themselves by licking their forearms. Highly efficient guts also extract all the water they need from the vegetation they eat. Horses can't survive on the same desert grasses alone. They must drink groundwater to survive. The dark stallion and his band linger at the dry creek bed. The horses begin to dig. A sweet smell begins to drift to the surface. Water. For those strong enough to excavate, the reward is life-saving. Unable to dig for themselves, foals are entirely reliant on their mothers. But in such times, even the most caring of mothers will drink her fill before providing for her offspring. Denied water, this young foal attempts to suckle from its mother's teat. But the mother's milk has long since dried up. In hard times, foals are the first to die. The band hasn't even had its fill when the bachelors arrive. Not strong enough to assert himself, this young colt is repeatedly turned away. He targets one of the weaker bachelors and finally manages a quick drink. The arrival of the bachelor band is not only a threat to the young, but for the dark stallion too. Weakened by the long trek, he struggles to fight off new challenges. A robust young bay bachelor makes his move. The dark stallion fights hard, but is no longer able to defend his band. His long reign has come to an end. The new sire is keen to claim his newly won mating rights. And even though they are weakened by the drought, the mares comply. The dark stallion is driven into isolation. Caught without a band in the grip of drought, his future looks bleak. During times of drought, wild horse populations can plummet by as much as 60%. Succumbing to starvation, dehydration and exhaustion. Nearby, a small reservoir of water remains. But something isn't quite right. The water is found, deterring the horses from drinking. But just days after, the heavens open. A deluge soaks the sun-hardened earth and water starts to flow once more. Desert flowers burst into bloom and birds return in their millions. The growth of new grass stimulates the horses to breed. Those that have survived nature's checks and balances will pass on the strongest genes to the next generation. Bold colds that will endure the ravages of drought. And young fillies that will lead their families to life-giving water. Horses were brought to this land as beasts of burden and loyal friends. They helped forge a nation and helped defend it. In doing so, they won their freedom and a place in Australia's heart. Branded both hero and outlaw. Their descendants thrive in the good times and suffer in the lean. But Australia's wild desert horses will remain a part of this ancient landscape for generations to come.