COROLLA, N.C. (WAVY) — Once again, a group that advocates and cares for wild horses on the Outer Banks is urging the public to follow their simple instructions: Don’t get close to the horses.

On Monday, the Corolla Wild Horse Fund posted a recent photo on social media showing several people standing atop sand dunes close to at least two wild horses.

“The horse in this picture is young, and easily habituated. We lost a yearling colt this summer because of behavior like this. Please don’t let it happen again,” the wild horse fund wrote.

Getting too close to the horses and climbing onto the sand dunes are both illegal.

“If you are here for the week or visiting for the day, please be respectful and follow the rules,” the fund wrote.

The Wild Horse Ordinance of Currituck County says, among other things, that feeding the wild horses or getting within 50 feet of them is punishable by law. Cruelty, enticing, harboring, luring, seizing, and failure to report injury are also unlawful.

Within seven hours of the post’s publication, the post by the Corolla Wild Horse Fund had been shared nearly 600 times.

“Please, please educate yourselves before you visit. We don’t often have to post reminders like this over the winter, but 2020 continues to throw us all curve balls,” the post read.

Those who witness others getting too close to the wild horses or climbing on sand dunes should call Currituck County non-emergency dispatch at 252-232-2216 and let the Corolla Wild Horse Fund know as well.