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Wild Horses in a Georgia Wilderness? Cumberland Island National Seashore Completes Annual Count

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Wild horses at Cumberland Island

Wild horses at Cumberland Island National Seashore. NPS photo.

Wild horses in a NPS site in Georgia? That may come as a surprise, but they've been in the area for centuries. The annual census of wild horses at Cumberland Island National Seashore has just been completed. How's the park's population of untamed equines doing these days?

Cumberland Island National Seashore, on the Georgia coast, includes one of the largest undeveloped barrier islands in the world. The park is also home to one of the largest maritime forests remaining in the United States, one of the largest wilderness areas in a National Seashore on the east coast, and a herd of feral, free-ranging horses.

So, how do you count wild horses in such an area? You rely on a group of dedicated volunteers.

According to the park,

The volunteer group consists of members who typically participate each year and know the census protocol and routes, which adds consistency and validity to the results. One volunteer has participated for over 10 years. A total of 20 routes are surveyed during the two-day period. Data collected includes the number of horses seen, sex, age class, location, and habitat. Information is stored in a database for comparison to previous years.

Thirty volunteers participated in this year’s census and counted 121 horses. Over the previous 11 years, the census totals have ranged from a low of 120 to a high of 154. While it is not possible to count every horse on the island, the numbers can be used primarily as an index to abundance.

Since there is consistency in the time of year of the census, tidal conditions, routes, survey times, and participants, the data generated can be considered an accurate portrayal of long-term trends in the population. For those wanting a total number of horses on the island, another 50 or so horses could probably be added to the number generated by the census to get a closer estimate.

 

The presence of horses on Cumberland Island can be traced back to the 1700s, although it's believed the animals likely occurred in the area even earlier, during the Spanish missionary period in the 1500s. The current herd has a genetic makeup closely related to several breeds of common domestic horses, which is likely the result of post-1900 introductions of other animals to the island.

Monitoring of the herd by the park began in 1981, and the staff plans to continue the annual census and increase research to "evaluate horse-related impacts on the numerous island vegetative communities."

Visitors are reminded these are feral horses and should be treated as wild animals. Since these are free-ranging animals, it's not possible to accurately predict their location, but if you're in the park and hope to see some of the horses, the park notes they can often be seen around the Dungeness ruins area.

The park website includes information to help you plan a visit to Cumberland Island, including a map and directions to the area.

Comments

I am really sorry that you feel like castration is a means of birth control. The only way that will work is to castrate all the males. Maybe you meant that. But that means a total wipe out of the herd. If castration is used and just one stallion is left, he can breed every mare on the island. They you have lost the genetic versitility of the herd. The only way to lower the population is to flank spay all the older mares. But leave the young ones to reproduce. It is known in the wild that mares will reproduce into their late 20s, so spaying them is the solution. Birth control does not work most of the time if they are using the most popular brand.


Hooray for your comment. Deleting is not what mother nature has in store.


Why do people always think they have to get their hands into everything. The horses have been there long before you were even born and if you would leave them alone, will be there long after you are gone. Please don't come back at me about the health of the horses and some man made score system that was intended for domestic animals. I bet the health of those horses are alot better then most trapped animals that you keep locked up in stales in a barn on a ranch somewhere.


Horse meat is not bad. Easy answer to the problem.


I have not been to Cumberland Island as if yet. I didn't even know that it exists. However I am planning on coming this summer to see these beautiful horses. I wish stupid people would leave these horses alone. This country would not be the same without them. They are in their natural habitat. Even in the wuld there is hunger and death at times, but that is what happens in captivity as well. To remove them would be tragic and to kill the herd with castration would be inhumane.


Why can't yall leave feed and hay for them.  I'm sure you can get donations to take care of this.  They are wild so I don't think they would grow dependent upon it.  It would just supplement their diet.


We visited the island on Sunday 5.13.18.  We saw two horses that looked almost emaciated.  These would be rescues in the domestic world.  Some birth control should be used to limit the herds to reasonable condition.  These horses didn't look old, just starved.


Only recently, and mostly in the USA is a love of horses considered a 'girly' thing.

Before the 1970's, toy horses were mostly sold for boys.

 

Interestig, isn't it?


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