Parks Canada reported a die-off of horses on Sable Island last winter, bringing the population from around 600 to around 450. The mortality is no surprise nor crisis. Last year, the horse population was higher than ever — and it remains remarkably high even after the losses. However, the die-off will reignite an old debate: should the horses be on the island at all?

Ecologically speaking, the horses are an invasive species — livestock seized from Acadian farmers and marooned on the island during the Great Expulsion in the 1700s. The island offers a brutal and inhospitable environment

The inhospitable habitat of the island is defined by sand and salt water, and the malnourished horses exact a heavy toll on that delicate ecosystem. In the 1960s, politicians hatched a plan to turn the horses into dog food, sparking the current wave of romanticism and conservation around the horses of Sable Island.

The horses are beautiful, but it's hard to justify their existence on the island. As climate change brings harsher weather, stronger storms, and higher sea levels, the horses and the island both face increasing risk of extinction.

I think it would be nice to see the remaining horses moved to a comfortable sanctuary on the mainland and their romantic image as sand-swept ponies preserved in the history books.