Wild horses are mating in the Outer Banks and experts warn of danger
February is mating season for wild horses in the Outer Banks and visitors are asked to give the horses a wide berth. The horses can be unpredictable and dangerous this time of year, especially the fighting stallions that compete for territory and mares while, “throwing punches like boxers and biting,” says The Charlotte Observer.
It is illegal to come within 50 feet of the wild horses, “but fighting stallions don’t always respect boundaries,” notes The Charlotte Observer. Experts told McClatchy News in 2019 that fights between horses can erupt without warning and last for 15 minutes or more.
North Carolina girl wrestler beats boys to take home state championship
Senior wrestler Heaven Fitch is the first girl to win a North Carolina High School Athletic Association individual wresting state championship. Fitch, a student at Uwharrie Charter High School in Asheboro, beat Luke Wilson of Robbinsville to earn the 106-pound weight class championship. Last year, Fitch placed fourth in state as a junior.
“I kind of dominated the match if I’m being honest,” Fitch told WGHP. “I’m just glad I can be a role model for people younger than me and it’s so insane to be inspiring to others. To think that others look up to me is kind of crazy.”
Rescuers rushed to help an injured bald eagle in Tennessee, then discovered it just ate too much
When a good Samaritan found an “injured” bald eagle in the woods near Bulls Gap in Tennessee and called the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to report it, officers rushed to the animal’s aid. According to a Facebook post by the agency, officers then “found the eagle in the woods near a road with no apparent injuries and very mobile.” They caught the bird and inspected it, concluding that it had recently eaten so much that it was temporarily unable to create enough lift to take flight.
“This is a common occurrence among many raptor species,” the agency said. According to the National Eagle Center, eagles can eat up to 1/3 of their own body weight in food.
