Horses can be found in many corners of the National Park System. You spot them running wild at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, splashing in the surf at Cape Lookout National Seashore in North Carolina and at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland and Virginia, and of course as pack animals and tireless steeds that carry both rangers and visitors through the parks.
But wild horses are somewhat of a conundrum in the National Park System. They’re a conundrum because they technically are not wild, but rather feral, meaning that they descended from domesticated horses. As such, they technically are not native wildlife in the parks, and that has become an issue in some parts of the park system.
At Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the National Park Service has raised the question of whether the horses there, as livestock, not native wildlife, should be removed from the park. A recent comment period on that proposal drew more than 7,000 comments, just 45 of which supported removal of the horses.
Across the country, at Cumberland Island National Seashore along the coast of Georgia, there also are feral horses, and their plight has surfaced in the form of a lawsuit that claims that animals not only are damaging the seashore's environment and impacting two federally protected species, but are not being humanely managed by the National Park Service and should be removed from the seashore.
We’ll explore that issue today with Hal Wright, the attorney who brought the lawsuit, Patty Livingston, president of both the Georgia Equine Rescue League and the Georgia Horse Council and one of the plaintiffs, and Jessica Howell-Edwards, executive director of Wild Cumberland, an advocacy group for the seashore.
By Jess Repanshek - May 28th, 2023
:02 National Parks Traveler introduction
:12 Episode Intro with Kurt Repanshek
1:44 Shee Beg Shee Mor - Nature’s Symphony - The Sounds of Acadia
2:16 Grand Teton National Park Foundation
2:45 Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
3:08 Potrero Group
3:37 The Horses of Cumberland Island
15:30 Whispering Winds - Grant Geissman - The Sounds of the Caribbean
15:46 Traveler Promo
15:58 Washington’s National Park Fund
16:32 Great Smoky Mountains Association
16:52 The Everglades Foundation
17:09 The Horses of Cumberland Island continues
34:24 Caribbean Song - Tim Heintz - The Sounds of the Everglades
34:36 Interior Federal Credit Union
34:56 Friends of Acadia
35:21 Yosemite Conservancy
35:47 The Horses of Cumberland Island continues
44:55 Amaranth - Bill Mize - The Sounds of the Great Smoky Mountains
45:27 Episode Closing
45:43 Orange Tree Productions
46:16 Splitbeard Productions
46:26 National Parks Traveler footer
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 301 | Red-Cockaded Woodpecker--A Decision Too Soon?
The vulnerable red-cockaded woodpecker is known to be found in national park units throughout the southeast. Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park in Florida, Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee are just a few of the parks that either are, or once were, home to the woodpecker.
November 17th, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 300 | Wildlife at Play
Humans like to play, right? We play cards, we play baseball and basketball, we go fishing or take a hike into the mountains. It’s our play time, time to recharge, refocus, relax.
November 10th, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 299 | Essential Coverage
Whether this is your first listen of our weekly podcast or number 299, welcome and thank you for listening. We hope you find these episodes interesting and present information or a side to the parks that you previously didn’t know about.
November 3rd, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 298 | 4 Women, 4 Kidneys, 444 Miles, 4 Days
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a scenic byway that rolls 440 miles through Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. A unit of the National Park Service, the trace winds its way through lush landscapes, diverse ecosystems and interesting historical sites.
Originally the trace was a foot path for Native Americans and later used by early pioneers and traders. Today it’s popular for motorists, cyclists and others seeking adventure, tranquility and a peek into America’s past.
October 27th, 2024
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National Parks Traveler Podcast Episode 297 | Trail of the Lost
The National Trail System in the United States spans many thousands of miles of foot trail. The crown jewels of that system, of course, are the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Pacific Crest Trail.
While the adventurous might look at those long trails and set their sights on hiking one end from end, not all manage to complete the journey. Many become disillusioned after days spent hiking in the rain, or because they become homesick, or because of the blisters that sprout on their feet.
October 20th, 2024
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The easiest way to explore RV-friendly National Park campgrounds.
Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.
Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.
You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.
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