Officials with Cape Lookout National Seashore and the Foundation for Shackleford Horses have released their annual report on 117-horse Shackleford Banks herd.
The year-end 2023 report found that the herd is 62% female, 38% male.
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Of the oldest horses, those 17 years and older, 23 are female and one is male. The oldest living horse on the island is a 29-year-old mare.
The report numbered five foals born during the spring and summer, and herd mortality averages 6% between 1991 and 2023.
Park service and foundation officials said the most important factor in protecting the wild horses is public education. That’s why they have increased efforts – media communications and park programs — to inform the public how best to watch the horses without interacting with them or interrupting their natural behavior.
The park offers “Horse Sense and Survival” tours monthly in the summer and fall.
In 2023, the new Pony Patrol launched with 26 Volunteers in Parks (VIPs) making 2,100 visitor contacts during the summer, officials said.
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You can also learn more about the wild horses by taking part in the Junior Ranger Wild Horse Protector activity. This is designed for students in sixth through eighth grades with the help of an adult, so it requires a parent, guardian, or youth leader to check out a backpack with instruments needed to complete activities like those done by the wild horse biologist. Upon completion, students receive an award and are certified as Wild Horse Protectors.
Learn more at the national seashore’s wildlife management report page.
