Aggressive, Food-Conditioned Horse Removed From Maryland's Assateague

BERLIN, MD — Park officials have relocated an aggressive, food-conditioned horse from Maryland's Assateague Island National Seashore to a wildlife sanctuary.

Delegate's Pride, also known as "Chip," is a harem stallion on Assateague Island that had become increasingly aggressive toward park visitors and staff when pursuing human food or when park staff attempted to redirect him or his band away from crowded campgrounds and parking areas, officials said.

According to the National Park Service, since 2017, the horse had been involved in more than 50 percent of all incidents that resulted in injury to visitors.

"He is also extremely resistant to non-contact methods used by park staff to move horses out of potentially dangerous situations — totally ignoring actions which cause other horses to move," NPS said in a news release.

As a result, officials said the horse was removed from Assateague Island, which is famous for its wild horses, and taken to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas, a renowned wildlife sanctuary.

"Unfortunately, reversing behavior once a wild animal has learned to associate people with food is extremely difficult," the park service said. "Removal often becomes the only option to manage a highly food-conditioned animal, especially one causing the majority of negative and dangerous interactions with the public."

Assateague Island National Seashore is reminding all visitors to take a proactive role in protecting the wild horses by following these tips:

• Always maintain a safe distance from horses (over 40 feet, or a “bus length”).
• Never feed wildlife — this includes the wild horses, and includes baiting the horses with food or leaving food for the horses.
• Follow proper food storage regulations.

More information on Assateague Island National Seashore and viewing the wild horses safely can be found at www.nps.gov/asis.