The wild horses of Danube Delta

The wild horses of Danube Delta are found in and around Letea Forest, located between the Sulina and Chilia branches of Danube. About 3600 feral horses live in the Danube Delta, 2000 in the Letea Nature Reserve, where they are among the last remaining wild (feral) horses living at large on the European continent.


The horses on Letea are black or bay, without white spots. They stand between 1.45 to 1.50 metres and are of a strong build. They are of a different breed than the close by Sfântu Gheorghe breed. They are not of a riding horse build, but are built like working horses of the Nonius type.


Although feral horses have existed for hundreds of years in the region, their number greatly increased after the collective farms were closed down in 1990 and the horses belonging to them being freed. Today, the Letea population is not regulated and there are concerns that overgrazing is a looming problem. They are deemed to be a threat to the flora of the forest, including to some plants on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.


Currently, there is an ongoing project, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature, seeking to find a way to remove these horses. While some organizations object to total removal and advocate for some animals to remain, others are attempting to find a different preserve for the horses to live. (after Wikipedia)

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