Mustangs of Manych-Gudilo Lake: how the horses ended up alone on a desert island

In the middle of the southern steppes of European Russia lies the salt lake Manych-Gudilo. It is notable for the fact that here, on the island of Vodnoye, a wild population of horses lives, which appeared on it under strange circumstances. These free animals, living in their own special world, are protected and have a proud name - Don Mustangs.

Vodny Island is located on the territory of the Rostov Region and is quite large: 4 km wide and 12 km long. People do not live here, and only an abandoned brick structure and an old artesian well recall their presence in the past.

Interestingly, the island is artificial in its origin and originated in 1948. The reason for its appearance was the flooding of the surrounding area during the construction of the reservoir. According to eyewitnesses, the water arrived so swiftly that the local shepherds did not have time to pick up the animals from the pasture in time, and they remained on the island. In all likelihood, these were representatives of the Don breed, widespread in this region. By the time the opportunity to take them out appeared, the horses were already running wild and did not want to leave Vodny.

A few years after the formation of the island, the water of Manych-Gudilo Lake turned from slightly mineralized to salty, which became unsuitable for drinking. At that time, the island was used for grazing sheep and collective farm horses, so an artesian well was drilled on it to supply animals with drinking water. But at the end of the 80s on the island the mouths of animals ceased, the well clogged over time. Wild horses became the rightful owners of Water. On the island there was a rainwater catchment, which the horses had enough to quench their thirst.

Around the same period, scientists from the Don, primarily genetics, became interested in wild Don horses. It turned out that in the animal population, consisting of about 80 individuals and being in complete isolation for about 30 years, there are absolutely no signs of degeneration. All individuals looked healthy and without any external defects. In the mid-1990s, Vodny Island became part of the Rostov Nature Reserve, and a completely different life began for horses.

The reserve was protected from poachers, so the population of Don Mustangs began to increase rapidly. The growth in numbers has created a new problem - the lack of drinking water, therefore, the island was piped.

Today, about 300 Don Mustangs live on Vodnoy Island. The population has a strict order organized according to the rules of the equine world. Adult stallions control the schools of several mares and their foals, while young stallions stay away. Here, horses feel great, but scientists fear overpopulation. If the problem of drinking water was solved, then with a lack of feed, everything turned out to be much more complicated.

The fact is that the island is becoming cramped for 300 animals, there is not enough food for everyone. The management of the reserve organized the delivery of hay for feeding animals in the winter. But the proud mustangs did not even touch the gift. Then it was decided to catch some of the horses and transport them from the island. Mustangs were taken to the mainland in winter by ice crossing, but after a short time they broke out the pens and returned to Vodny.

Since then, people no longer intervene in the wild world of Don Mustangs. Tourists visit these protected lands in summer as part of excursion groups to admire beautiful animals. And horses that do not know saddles and bridles live on their amazing island, which was created to give them freedom.