News Release

Assateague Island Wild Horse Update

Date: August 15, 2018
Contact: Liz Davis, 410-629-6084

The 2-year old stallion (N2BHS-AO, Adriana’s Yankee Prince) involved in a motor vehicle accident last week on Assateague Island had to be humanely euthanized on August 15, 2018.  The horse was reported down in the saltmarsh and unable to stand early Wednesday morning.  This loss brings the total population of the Maryland herd to 78 horses, including 20 stallions and 58 mares.  Two additional horses were missing/presumed dead after the July census, N9BFQ “Braidwood” and M6L “Dani”.  There was one mare known to be pregnant in 2018 based on test results from last November, who foaled in April.  No other mares are known to be pregnant at this time.
 
The National Park Service completes a full census of the horse population in Maryland six times per year, in February, March, May, July, September, and November.  Managed as a wildlife population, the Assateague horses are free to roam over approximately 27 miles of the barrier island and can be difficult to find at times. During each census, horses are identified by their distinguishing characteristics, mapped and counted. Individual horses that are not observed during multiple census periods are presumed dead. The purpose of the census is to monitor the overall population dynamics of the horse herd in support of the long term fertility control program that was initiated in 1994.