The wild horses of Corolla are always a hot topic on the OBX, and this latest development on their conservation warms our hearts! NewsChannel 3 in Hampton Roads reports that a lucky stallion named Gus may hold the key to keeping the herd from extinction.
“The genetically-diverse wild stallion from Cedar Island, some 250 miles away, was released into the Corolla herd on Thursday. “Gus is the first step in turning that headed for extinction situation around. Without the introduction of new genes into the Corolla herd – they would cease to exist. We are already at a genetic bottleneck where we are having consistent birth defects in foals,” explained Corolla Wild Horse Fund Executive Director Karen McCalpin.
The process to get Gus into the herd has taken years and required approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
[box type=”bio”] Read more about Gus over at NewsChannel 3.[/box]