Wild Horses Move From Threatened to Critical (2/8/2008) Corolla, NC. – The famed wild horses of the Outer Banks have moved up – and not in a good way. After completing its year end review, the American Livestock Breed Conservancy, a Pittsboro based nonprofit established to conserve and promote endangered breeds of livestock and poultry, has moved the Corolla and Shackleford wild horses from the threatened category into the critical category. This means that there are less than 200 annual registrations in the United States and an estimated global population of less than 2,000. The next category is extinction. The ALBC maintains conservation priority lists for equine breeds. Ten strains of Colonial Spanish Mustangs are listed as critical, including the Banker strain. There are 110 horses on Shackleford Banks and 89 on the northern Currituck Outer Banks. The Shackleford horses roam 3,000 acres owned by the National Park Service and are federally protected by the Shackleford Act, sponsored by United States Congressman Walter Jones. The Act mandates a minimum of 100 horses in order to maintain genetic viability. The Corolla wild horses roam 12,000 acres of state, federal, and private land. Approximately 80% of the 12,000 acres is privately owned. They are protected only by the Currituck County Wild Horse Ordinance and are managed in accordance with the Currituck Wild Horse Management plan, first written in 1999. The plan calls for a maximum of 60 horses. The plan was put together by the stakeholders impacted by the presence of the horses – US Fish & Wildlife; NC Estuarine Research Reserve; Currituck County; and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, an all volunteer group at the time. Since then, Dr. E. Gus Cothran, the country’s leading equine geneticist and an expert on feral horses, has determined that 100 is the minimum number needed to maintain a genetically viable herd. What can be done to save this dying breed? The first step is gathering additional scientific data. The Fund’s herd manager, Steve Rogers, has gathered DNA samples, both from hair follicles and darted cell plugs. They are currently being analyzed by Dr. Cothran to determine the baseline genetic health of the herd. In addition, CWHF Executive Director, Karen McCalpin recently traveled to North Carolina State University to discuss the possibility of a collaborative impact and carrying capacity study on the land roamed by the Corolla herd. Such studies would determine the ecological impact the horses are having on the ecosystem as well as determine the number of horses the land is capable of supporting. She met with faculty from 12 different specialty areas and left with a commitment from NCSU to create a concept paper that will be used by CWHF to apply for grant funding from a variety of sources, both public and private. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is also taking another step toward conserving the breed in the form of off-site breeding programs. Working with the Horse of the Americas registry, the Fund has placed stallions and mares with HOA Colonial Spanish Mustang breeders who will preserve the banker strain. The first off-site foal will be born this spring at Mill Swamp Indian Horses in Smithfield, VA. McCalpin says that it is vitally important to begin these breeding programs. "The management plan does not allow for reintroduction of the horses to the north beaches in the event that the herd is wiped out due to a natural disaster, illness, or genetic collapse. For example, if the herd becomes infected with Equine Infectious Anemia, the infected horses would have to be removed and possibly destroyed. In 1996 and 1997, 81 horses on Shackleford Banks were euthanized after testing positive for EIA. In a herd as small as ours at 89, that would be the end. We need to be sure that there are reputable breeders continuing the banker strain in the event of catastrophe." The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is a 501 (c) 3 not for profit. They receive the bulk of their operating funds from public support. Three fulltime staff and a group of dedicated volunteers are committed to the long-term protection and preservation of the Colonial Spanish Mustangs that have called the Outer Banks their home for nearly five centuries. The horses attract thousands of visitors each month in the summer hoping for a glimpse at the horses the state of North Carolina have deemed "a cultural treasure." If you are interested in learning more, or would like to help, visit www.corollawildhorses.com. >> More horse news <<