Hurricane Florence just devastated the Carolinas, killing 37 people and destroying countless homes. Though most of the focus has understandably been on the humans who have been effected by this natural disaster, it’s important to remember that animals were impacted as well.

One group of animals that were affected by this hurricane were North Carolina’s herds of wild horses that roam the Outer Banks. These majestic horses are beloved by people all over the world, which is why it came as a huge relief when the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Corolla Wild Horse Fund took to social media to let everyone know that the horses had survived the hurricane.

“The horses are doing fine! In our area, we did not get hit by the hurricane, but we did have a little storm,” said Jo Langone, COO of Corolla Wild Horse Fund. “There are places south and west of us where the people are getting hurt. There was a lot of spotlight on us last week when the hurricane was approaching because it looked like it could be coming to our area, but it ended up not.”

The horses were able to survive because they can sense impending bad weather. Langone explained that they also have a strong instinct to seek shelter, which they do by heading to the forest or the marshes.

“Florence update 9/18/18: As of 1 p.m. today, all of the Rachel Carson Reserve wild horses have been accounted for. All animals are in good condition,” the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort wrote on Facebook on September 18.

We’re so glad to see that these horses are safe!