ASSATEAGUE ISLAND, Md.- A four-year-old horse has died after being struck by a car in a hit-and-run crash last week on Assateague Island.
National Seashore officials say the horse named Moonshadow and its foal were both struck, and were recovering and being monitored by officials when Moonshadow died suddenly on Monday.
Ashlie Kozlowski works as Outreach Coordinator for the Assateague Island Alliance, a nonprofit aimed at helping the Assateague Island National Seashore's mission.
She says a major issue that may contribute to accidents like this one, is the lack of law enforcement on the island. She says that comes down to funding.
"I think that there's a lot to be done. I think that there's maybe, this might be a pivotal time to kind of reevaluate how things are going. I think that visitors and the public can really help by writing to their congresspeople and saying we really need you to fund the national park service because there isn't enough law enforcement, there aren't enough horse management in turns to go around to prevent everything from happening."
Among those visitors are Kelly Cortes and her family, visiting from Long Island, New York. Cortes says the horse's death was the first thing she saw when she researched the island prior to her visit.
"It was very upsetting. Because These are horses that are precious to this area and we're so excited to see them and every horse is important and we're so passionate about them being safe. And it's just very upsetting to hear."
While Kozlowski says she hopes visitors strongly heed the messages on signs all over the island.
"Let's respect the resources, respect the environment, slow down. Be alert. Go slower than the speed limit. Don't drive around the speed bumps. Just take your time. Enjoy nature. If it's dark. Put your high beams on. Go slow. If something should happen just own up to it. Fess up to it so that the park service can be alerted sooner."
Moonshadow is the 35th horse to lose her life in a car accident on the island since 1982.
