A Fed Horse is a Dead Horse
Tax deductible
A Fed Horse is a Dead Horse: A Project to Protect Assateague’s Wild Horses
Assateague Island Alliance (AIA), the non profit Friends group organization supporting Assateague Island National Seashore, is working to provide materials and labor to build wildlife proof picnic tables like the prototype seen here, repair and install fencing in Oceanside campground, and nylon cooler straps to address the issue of negative wildlife and human interactions with regards to food on the island. More details about each of these strategies is below.
Park visitors and Assateague horses share space and invariably there will be interactions between visitors and horses especially in developed areas with high intensity visitor use. We want to reduce the chance that the outcome will be detrimental to either or both with the implementation of this project. Help us raise funds to provide these solutions!
Three strategies will be supported through the implementation of this project
1. Wildlife Proof Picnic Tables – A new prototype picnic table has been designed and tested by park staff that provides visitors with an ample, built in food storage area. The philosophy of keeping food stored properly, especially within park campgrounds, would minimize negative interactions between visitors and wildlife. A horse responding to food can become aggressive. Horses that ingest human or pet food can become significantly ill and experience colic, other digestive issues and even death as Assateague horses’ natural forage consists of low nutrient, high fiber saltmarsh and beach grass. Over time, habituated animals may become reluctant to leave a specific area of campground where food has been available. To address this issue, additional wildlife proof picnic tables need to be constructed for deployment and use through the park campgrounds.
2. Horse Fence – a wooden split rail fence has been used successfully in the past the fence the wild horses out of the Oceanside Walk-In Campground. This fence was recently replaced after Hurricane Sandy but portions were subsequently destroyed or damaged during high tides and other weather events. Fence replacement and repairs and correctly needed to effectively exclude horses from the accessing the particular area of the park.
3. Cooler Straps – Proper food storage is essential for day use visitors and beach goers alike. By securing all coolers with a nylon strap this will prevent wildlife from opening it and accessing the contents. NPS staff and volunteers will be able to distribute cooler straps to visitors who do not have their coolers properly secured. By providing a solution when delivering a safety message to visitors the likelihood the information will be understood and the behavior modified is increased.
Assateague Island Alliance (AIA), the non profit Friends group organization supporting Assateague Island National Seashore, is working to provide materials and labor to build wildlife proof picnic tables like the prototype seen here, repair and install fencing in Oceanside campground, and nylon cooler straps to address the issue of negative wildlife and human interactions with regards to food on the island. More details about each of these strategies is below.
Park visitors and Assateague horses share space and invariably there will be interactions between visitors and horses especially in developed areas with high intensity visitor use. We want to reduce the chance that the outcome will be detrimental to either or both with the implementation of this project. Help us raise funds to provide these solutions!
Three strategies will be supported through the implementation of this project
1. Wildlife Proof Picnic Tables – A new prototype picnic table has been designed and tested by park staff that provides visitors with an ample, built in food storage area. The philosophy of keeping food stored properly, especially within park campgrounds, would minimize negative interactions between visitors and wildlife. A horse responding to food can become aggressive. Horses that ingest human or pet food can become significantly ill and experience colic, other digestive issues and even death as Assateague horses’ natural forage consists of low nutrient, high fiber saltmarsh and beach grass. Over time, habituated animals may become reluctant to leave a specific area of campground where food has been available. To address this issue, additional wildlife proof picnic tables need to be constructed for deployment and use through the park campgrounds.
2. Horse Fence – a wooden split rail fence has been used successfully in the past the fence the wild horses out of the Oceanside Walk-In Campground. This fence was recently replaced after Hurricane Sandy but portions were subsequently destroyed or damaged during high tides and other weather events. Fence replacement and repairs and correctly needed to effectively exclude horses from the accessing the particular area of the park.
3. Cooler Straps – Proper food storage is essential for day use visitors and beach goers alike. By securing all coolers with a nylon strap this will prevent wildlife from opening it and accessing the contents. NPS staff and volunteers will be able to distribute cooler straps to visitors who do not have their coolers properly secured. By providing a solution when delivering a safety message to visitors the likelihood the information will be understood and the behavior modified is increased.
Organizer
Assateague Island Alliance
Organizer
Berlin, MD
Assateague Island Alliance
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
