(WORCESTER COUNTY, Md.) - Tunkan, a sixteen year-old wild horse native to Assateague Island, was hit by a car and euthanized on Friday afternoon due to his injuries.
WRDE spoke with Kelly Taylor, Maryland District Supervisor for Outreach Education, to learn more about the wild horses and park safety. "We're really trying to reach out to people and talk to them about appropriate driving habits on the island," says Taylor.
Tunkan's death is the most recent in a series of accidents at the state park. Thirty horses have been killed by car collisions since 1982.
Taylor says the incident has impacted the small community on a personal level. "Even though thirty is a relatively small number in the grand scheme of things, it's actually a huge number because of the people who are emotionally involved and attached to these animals."
She says that people should keep their distance from the wild animals. "Another thing that would be super helpful is if people didn't feed the horses or lure the horses to their vehicles, because what's happening is they're becoming accustomed to seeing the vehicles and associating the vehicles with some kind of reward."
Authorities remind drivers to obey the speed limits and keep a close eye on their surroundings as they pass through the park.