COROLLA, N.C. (WAVY) — The first foal of 2024 for Corolla’s wild horses is a boy!
Eros, named for the Greek god of love, was born right before Valentine’s Day. The fund said on Monday he was about a week old, and he and his mom are in “excellent” condition.
“Remember, if you are lucky enough to see them please keep your distance! Stress can cause all kinds of issues, including rejection and aggression from the adults,” the fund wrote on Facebook. “Foals are also very impressionable at this age and habituate easily.”
The fund says names of the foals this year will all start with the letter E. Last year’s all started with the letter C.
The wild horse fund, which started in 2001, is helps protect the wild horses in the region and educate visitors about keeping their distance.
They’ve shared these tips:
- Do not try to pet the horses or get closer than 50 feet, which is about a school bus length away.
- Carrots and apples kill: The wild horses don’t eat the same foods as domesticated horses. Apples and carrots can (and have) killed herd members.
- Pick up your garbage after visiting the beach.
- Cruelty, enticing, harboring, luring, seizing, and failure to report injury are also against the law.
- Look into horse tours. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund works closely with various horse tour companies on conservation and education efforts surrounding the horses. By taking a tour, safety measures are already in place for both you and the horses.