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Hello!  I'm Erin Phillips, the founder of Mustang Mission, which is a nonprofit rescue organization in Georgia.  For over eight years, I have been dedicated to raising awareness about Wild Horses and Burros out West.  Now, a small and unique wild horse herd living in the East is in danger.

Unknown to many, wild horses inhabit an island in southeast Georgia called Cumberland Island.  This lush, beautiful island is over 36,000 acres and hosts a variety of wildlife.  Over 100 horses have roamed freely on Cumberland Island since the 1700s.  

These wild horses became the focus of people and news outlets across the state of Georgia when a lawsuit was taken out against the National Park Service. This legal action sought to force the NPS into managing the horses by capturing them or causing them to die out. However, the lawsuit was dismissed in 2024. The NPS has maintained a "hands-off" approach to managing the horses for many years.

Without a doubt, these wild horses should remain on Cumberland, yet something must be done to help them thrive.  I discovered that these horses are very deficient in minerals (Georgia is very deficient in Selenium, a crucial mineral for horses).  The horses need mineral blocks so they can begin gaining weight and thriving.  I am willing to take over this management plan (once approved by the NPS) so the burden and responsibility are independent of the NPS.

However, once the horses have the minerals that they need to thrive, they will begin living longer and have a higher rate of survival.  At that point, it may be necessary to use some amount of management (such as PZP, a safe and effective fertility control vaccine), which would ensure that the population stays at a healthy level.  This way, the horses will be healthier and happier.  No matter what, they should remain on this island and be allowed to keep their freedom.

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