Wild horses cross to mainland at Assateague Island

Image: National Park Service

BERLIN, Md. – Two of Assateague Island’s wild horses crossed the Verrazano Bridge onto the mainland Wednesday afternoon.

We’re told a witness reported to park staff that the incident began at the base of the east side of the bridge. The two wild horses, N9BM-JO (Adrianna’s Happy Camper) and N2BHS-CKT (Starlight) were already in an excited and agitated state and subsequently became blocked by visitors and vehicles. With their path of retreat towards the island cut off, the two horses fled west over the bridge to the mainland.

National Park and State Park staff were able to safely corral the horses about one half mile from the bridge on the mainland. They were trailered and safely returned to the island a few hours later, and there were no horse or human injuries.

Park officials say this incident was directly caused by vehicles illegally stopping immediately after the bridge. Park rules require visitors to stay at least 40 feet from horses, however, the narrow nature of the causeway does not generally allow that at this location. Visitors are reminded that the entire causeway east of the bridge is a “No Stopping, No Parking” zone. Stopping and getting out of your way on the causeway to view horses is illegal; stopping on the causeway leads to an unsafe situation for other vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, horses, and park personnel.