The information in this article can be found on the National Parks Service Website.

Though the supporting evidence is limited, it’s been noted as a possibility that the first introduction of non-native horses in Cumberland was through the livestock of Spanish missions in the late 1500s.

However, the battle between Spain and England for Fort St. Andrews in 1742 was the first recorded account of horses on Cumberland. At the close of the 18^th Century, about 200 domestic horses and mules were reported by island landowners. They would continue as an key role in Cumberland recreation, transportation, and work.

The abundance of horses on the island would come to a sudden halt in the wake of the American Civil War. Though new stock would continue to be introduced and sold off Cumberland Island, by 1972, when the Cumberland Island National Seashore was established, “horses had become feral [or wild] on the island”.

The National Park Service has conducted population surveys since 2003 that have returned counts ranging from 120 to 148 horses a year… The total number of horses on the island could be 30 to 40 animals higher than the annual survey results… The horse herd on Cumberland likely consumes between 200 to 400 tons of vegetation each year, removing up to 98% of it in areas they frequent.

National Parks Service

As non-natives to Cumberland Island, they compete for food and shelter uncurbed by a natural predator. Therefore, there population, as with all non-native species to an ecosystem, could grow out of control.

However, parasites, droughts, aging, and other factors keep do lessen their numbers. Visitors are advised the following safety tips to avoid injury by wild horses still present:

• Do not approach a horse. If a horse feels that you are too close it may kick, bite, or charge.
• Give them a lot of respect and maintain a distance of at least 50 feet.
• Remember that horses have the right-of-way. If a horse approaches you, move out of its path and try to put a tree, picnic table, or other large object between you and it.
• Never try to feed or pet the horses. If a horse begins to associate people with food it can lead to a horse becoming dependent on support.