LIHUE — Hawaii officials are seeking the best way to remove a horse carcass that’s lodged in beach rocks, a report said.
The dead animal on Kauai’s Aliomanu Beach is decaying near the shoreline, The Garden Island reported Thursday.
Kauai County officials did not supply a timeline Wednesday, but said they are working on removal strategies with homeowners and animal specialists.
The horse appears to have been dead for several days, making removal “extremely challenging” due to deterioration, said Deputy County Engineer Lyle Tabata.
“Its location along the rocky shoreline prevents heavy equipment from reaching it,” Tabata said.
Under Hawaii law, clearing up debris or unsanitary conditions on shores and beaches above the high-water mark is the county’s responsibility.
Resident Evelin Kekesi said she reported the carcass Monday, but said it had been on the beach for at least five days before her report.
“I seriously worried we might get sick from it,” Kekesi said in a written statement to the newspaper.
“When the tide comes up, the dead horse is half submerged in the water. The smell could probably attract sharks,” she said. “Someone needs to do something.”