Assateague officials announce relocation of aggressive horse

BERLIN, Md. – Assateague Island National Seashore officials have announced the relocation of an aggressive and highly food-conditioned horse from the island.

Officials say Delegate’s Price (N6ELS-H), also known as “Chip”, is a harem stallion on Assateague Island that had become increasingly aggressive towards park visitors and staff when pursuing human food or when park staff tried to redirect him or his band away from crowded visitor use areas such as campgrounds and parking areas. Since 2017, he has reportedly been involved in more than 50% of all incidents that have resulted in injury to visitors. Park officials say he is also extremely resistant to non-contact methods used by park staff to move horses out of potentially dangerous situations, totally ignoring actions that cause other horses to move.

For these reasons, Delegate’s Pride was removed from Assateague Island and is being permanently relocated to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas, a renowned wildlife sanctuary.

Certain individual horses and bands in the Maryland herd are continuing to learn to associate humans with food rewards. Habituated or unafraid horses can easily become food-conditioned when they receive food from visitors, both intentionally and unintentionally through improper food storage. Officials say reversing behavior once a wild animal has learned to associate people with food is extremely difficult, meaning removal of the animal often becomes the only option. We’re told officials don’t take these decisions lightly but say occasionally it is necessary for the safety of visitors and staff.

Updated food storage regulations for Assateague Island campers will soon be released. Campers will only be permitted to store food in a vehicle or in a strapped cooler placed inside the food storage box provided by the National Park Service under all picnic tables. Assateague Island National Seashore replaced all picnic tables in the fall of 2019 with new tables specifically designed with horse-proof food storage compartments to hold standard-sized strapped coolers and hard-sided containers.