horse horses band feral horses living state georgia popular myth holds horses arrived island time 16th century arrival spanish unlikely horses left spanish survived likely current population descends horses brought island 18th century english national_park_service took management horses similar bands horses living islands estimated population horses island horses relatively short life pest disease rugged environment study found instability marks bands large numbers dominant early dispersal juveniles frequent band changing herd studied periodically late 1980s researchers recommending management strategies depending focus study current herd levels shown negative effect environment researchers focused environmental issues recommend severe reduction herd numbers researchers looking genetic state herd size nearly large current necessary prevent state herd genetically unique warrant special preservation national_park_service current management plan horses effort create blocked georgia member house_of_representatives history horses native popular myth states brought island spanish 16th century believed horses likely survive lack visits spanish local native americans island finding little practical use 18th century english began settling horses seen today likely descendants horses brought settlers large majority horses began freely revert natural state feral 19th century efforts capture use horses attempts island plantation owner allowed visitors purchase capture horses called marsh personal use horses cavalry animals american civil war war records suggest people captured horses horse meat bought plantations island introduced tennessee walking horses feral horse population attempt improve animals received small income buying selling animals later island residents began introducing additional breeds island bands horses large number horses brought island globe arizona running wild western national_park_service acquired island declared new horses introduced island introduced early 1990s hopes existing population monitoring horses tracking impact environment outbreak eastern killed horses approximately herd population seven feral horse barrier islands characteristics resource assessment estimated approximately feral horses horses counted island yearly census conducted counted horses horses counted census park management estimates approximately horses missed counts year bringing total horses life span horses approximately half ancestors parasites disease suffer digestive issues linked great sand causes abdominal study published researchers fish wildlife service looked data collected effort better understand herd dynamics cumberland island herd study found band instability high generally forming close relationships commonly switching stallion banded juveniles quickly researchers attributed lack territory bands frequently inhabiting overlapping areas high number bachelor saw high number dominant lead band alternate breeding band born likely survive comparable western feral survival rates respectively found especially true animals born june attributed higher temperatures higher insect levels reduced food availability number horses cumberland bands comparable western bands eastern islands horses tended larger bands average horses band respectively controversy management initial study published researcher demonstrated current population horses grazing island researcher recommended reducing herd size animals contended maximum size island support environmental damage study showed horses significantly reducing plant stocks island reducing future plant production study genetic variation feral horse eastern barrier islands conducted researchers study concluded herd minimum size necessary prevent researchers noted looking herd size solely related genetic variation environmental damage consideration addition found large introduced blood outside horses horses genetically unique ongoing environmental damage concluded horses met genetic environmental requirements feral horses public lands herd reduced removed completely researchers conceded analysis local historical cultural elements consideration environmental genetic began process developing management plan cumberland island horse compiling information released draft environmental assessment early began taking public comment potential management plan public opinion severely divided approving management plan likely resulted reduction removal herd animal rights activists island residents protesting plan plan implemented representative included provision federal bill prevented management horses kingston change bill touring island consultation initially claimed personally significant damage island horses herd size decreased later questioning refused expand observations damage island provision expired effectively halted momentum park management plan study published recommended management strategy reduced herd populations environmentally recommended sizes combination island adoption private owners researchers recommended use focused female members herd high numbers bachelor study conducted determine public opinion management feral livestock horses pigs island researchers found visitors believed horses damaging habitat island consensus solution problem majority visitors tended prefer non lethal methods managing population opposed non management complete time park management felt horses popular tourists destructive beach ecosystems including increase erosion horses eaten grasses previously held sand place report emphasized negative impact horses having island environment endorsed study findings animals appropriate population island report noted management challenges resulting public political appeal animals stated management plan necessary potential solutions offered included herd reduced herd portion island reduce herd numbers april management plan published considers herd feral free ranging
Cumberland Island horse