View this post on Instagram A post shared by Corolla Wild Horse Fund (@corollawildhorsefundinc)
An organization dedicated to protecting wild horses in North Carolina said several apples found on a beach had apparently fallen from a cargo ship.
The Corolla Wild Horse Fund said officials received a call Tuesday reporting the local beach in Corolla was littered with loose apples.
“Our employee started heading towards the area where the apples were reported and quickly realized someone didn’t dump them out there on purpose — they seemed to be washing up out of the ocean! They must have come off a ship out at sea,” the organization said on social media.
The incident recalled another event from a few years ago, when Doritos chips washed up on the beach.
Employees and volunteers collected several bags of apples. A pair of men who regularly clear garbage from the beach later found many more apples, as well as some oranges.
The group explained why the apples weren’t simply left as treats for the wild horses.
“Anything that’s not part of their natural diet can cause choke and/or colic, which can be fatal,” the post said. “In 2020 we lost a yearling colt to choke after he was fed an apple. In 2021, stallion Junior nearly died after choking on an apple. You should never feed an animal that isn’t yours, whether it’s domestic or wild.”
