Herd manager reports 28 wild horses died after ‘mini tsunami’ from Hurricane Dorian

Prior to Hurricane Dorian, staff with the Corolla Wild Horse Fund made sure the wild horses that call the beaches of the Outer Banks home had everything they needed in order to survive the impending storm.

Although, they didn’t need much besides some extra supplies in case of an emergency because they have lived through countless storms over the past 500 years.

Of course with the unpredictability of storms, even animals that have a keen sense of how to avoid danger are no match for Mother Nature.

The Charlotte Observer reported that 28 wild horses, which were part of the smaller, lesser known Cedar Island herd, were killed during Hurricane Dorian. The storm wiped out more than half of the 49 horses that lived on Cedar Island.

“It was a mini tsunami,” herd manager Woody Hancock said. “The horses normally see the water start to rise in a storm and migrate to higher ground, but they just didn’t have time. The shift in the wind happened too fast and they were taken off guard and washed off the island. They didn’t have a chance.”

The bodies of several horses washed up on shore, while the others that haven’t been accounted for are presumed to have been swept out to sea.

But there is good news, FOX 8 reported that the Corolla and Shackleford Banks herds haven’t reported any loss of life. And, in even more exciting news, a foal was born around the time of the storm.

It’s so sad that so many horses died during Hurricane Dorian, but I’m glad one of the herds expanded during the storm!

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