A younger horse unexpectedly died recently on Shackleford Banks, Cape Lookout National Seashore reported Wednesday morning in a Facebook post.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t discovered soon enough for our staff to determine what exactly caused the death at this time,” the post states.
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The horse is not a foal from this year. No other information on the age or gender is available as of Wednesday morning. The park’s horse biologist is expected to know more later in the day, officials said.
The natural mortality rate is 6% for the horses on Shackleford Banks. On the island now, the total number of horses, including this year’s foals, is 118, according to the National Park Service.
Cape Lookout National Seashore and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses, Inc. maintain the herd of wild horses on Shackleford Banks. For more information on the horse herd, visit the Wild Horses page.
