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The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch
December 27, 2013
. . New Arrival’s Birth A Surprise, Island Officials Say
FROM PAGE 4 referred to as horses and always have been. She said there is a scientific distinction between ponies and horses and genetic testing has revealed the Assateague herd is clearly made up of the latter. Similarly, Taylor said the mothers are referred to as dams, while the fathers are referred to as sires. “People often refer to our horses, particularly the new foals as ponies, but scientifically that is not accurate,” she said. “The differences are subtle, but our horses are just that, horses, and there are no ponies on Assateague. It’s a little complicated, but it has to do with the size of the animal. It doesn’t help that we have things like our ‘pony patrol,’ for example, which contributes to the confusion, but they are actually small horses.” On the Virginia side, for decades the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company has held its annual Pony Penning and Auction, but those animals are also horses and not ponies. Taylor said the fire company has attempted to have their herd designated as ponies, but the idea has not gained any traction. Meanwhile, the new foal born last week brings the size of the herd to 101, which is just about at the target range of 80 to 100. With just two foals birthed this year, the number came in lower than the statistical average. While three to five foals
The second foal born on Assateague Island this year is pictured next to her mother, who is known as Gokey Go Bones. Photo by Assateague Island National Seashore
are birthed in a typical year, an inkind number drop off due to old age, illness or other natural or man-made factors. The mortality rate is around 3 to 5 percent, meaning three to five out of 100 are lost each year to attrition, which coincides with the three to five new foals birthed in a typical year. In the interest of managing the size of the herd, which, if left unchecked would overtake the barrier
island and gobble up the resources the wild ponies need to survive, the National Park Service several years ago began a contraceptive program for the mares in the herd. The mares are injected with a non-invasive contraceptive to prevent multiple births in an effort to maintain and ultimately shrink the size of the herd to its manageable threshold. In the interest of maintaining the gene pool of the famous wild ponies, be-
lieved to be descendants of domesticated horses placed on the island 300 years ago, each mare is allowed to birth one foal before being put on the contraceptive program. While local residents and visitors are encouraged to enjoy the wild horses and other wildlife on Assateague, the National Park Service is urging them to keep a safe distance from all of the horses and especially the new foal.
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