Breathtaking Photos of an Island Ruled by Horses
TO SEE SLIDESHOW:
http://www.weather.com/travel/breathtaking-photos-island-ruled-horses-20140307
By Nicole Bonaccorso
weather.com
Assateague Island is known for the wild ponies that populate the island. (Mrs. Gemstone/Flickr.com)
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Assateague
Island is just off the coast of Maryland and Virginia, and it is one
place that offers more than your typical beachside destination. More
than 300 wild ponies freely wander the island.
It seems
the horses are not bothered by tourists. The horses can be seen
sunbathing on crowded beaches and visiting occupied campsites on the
island.
Assateague was established as a national park in
1965. The northern two-thirds of the island belongs to Maryland and
includes the majority of Assateague Island National Seashore and
Assateague State Park. The southern third belongs to Virginia and houses
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
According to The Examiner, it is believed that a Spanish cargo ship carrying many ponies sank off of the coast of Assateague approximately 400 years ago. The ponies swam to land and have ruled the population since.
In
fact, the pony population on the island is so dense that each year in
July the herd is split and swims across the Assateague Channel to
Chincoteague, Va., to be auctioned. The event began in 1925 and now
garners thousands of spectators.
Horses aren’t the only thing Assateague has to offer. The Assateague Island boasts one of the most popular bird watching destinations in the U.S. according to its website. The island sustains over 300 species of migratory and resident birds.
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