Assateague and Chincoteague
Assateague is what's known as a barrier island, which is a long, relatively narrow island running parallel to a mainland. Thirty-seven miles (60 km) long, Assateague Island sits just off the eastern coast of the Delmarva Peninsula, a landmass that spans three states. The peninsula's unusual location is how it got its name: Del for Delaware, mar for Maryland, and va for Virginia. The island of Assateague itself is split between Maryland and Virginia. And, as if they knew, the ponies have separated themselves into two herds, one on either side of the state line. The Virginia herd is called the Chincoteague ponies, in honor of another small island next door.
The ponies of Assateague "are very much all over the island-very in tune with their surroundings," says Billy Weiland. He's a water specialist at the Assateague Coastal Trust. Sometimes the ponies gather in the forest to keep out of the wind, he says. During the summer, you'll see them trotting through the surf.
So, how did all these wild ponies get there? Stories abound. One tale says they are the descendants of horses that escaped after a Spanish galleon wrecked offshore in 1750. But the most commonly accepted story is that early colonist landowners hid horses on the island in the 1600s to avoid taxes and other fees. So, the current herds could be the descendants of those early "tax shelter" horses.
Fame and Realities
The ponies were immortalized in the classic 1947 children's novel Misty of Chincoteague, written by Marguerite Henry. In 1961, this story was made into the movie Misty.
Denne historien er fra July/August 2022-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July/August 2022-utgaven av Muse Science Magazine for Kids.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A Mars Rock Found With Leopard Spots Could Be a Sign of Ancient Life
IN JULY, NASA'S PERSEVERANCE ROVER CAME ACROSS A SPOTTED ROCK IN WHAT WAS ONCE A RIVERBED IN THE JEZERO CRATER ON MARS.
Para Athlete Uses Exoskeleton Suit to Carry the Olympic Torch
In July, a 36-year-old French tennis para athlete, Kevin Piette, got a chance to participate in this summer’s Olympic torch relay without using a wheelchair.
Ancient Egyptians May Have Used a Water System to Lift Stones to Build Pyramid
HOW ANCIENT EGYPTIANS BUILT THE MASSIVE PYRAMIDS IN EGYPT MORE THAN 4,000 YEARS AGO HAS LONG BEEN A TOPIC OF WONDER AND DEBATE.
Seals Can Make Big Dives Thanks to Their Big Hearts
SEALS AND SEA LIONS, WHICH ARE SEMI-AQUATIC MAMMALS, CAN HOLD THEIR BREATHS UNDERWATER FOR ESPECIALLY LONG PERIODS OF TIME.
THE BIG-CITY LIFE OF STEVEN J.BIKE SHOP RABBIT IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK
Bicycle Roots is a full-service bike shop. It's in the heart of Brooklyn, New York. Joe Lawler is the co-owner and service manager. Perhaps more important, he's \"dad\" to the shop's most popular employee. That's Steven J. Lawler.
Wild Ones
WHAT FACTORS DRIVE PEOPLE TO BUY MONKEYS, TIGERS, AND OTHER WILD ANIMALS?
HOW TO CONQUER THE WORLD
A brief history
What would happen if meteors hit Earth?
You may have seen Ameteors fly into Earth's atmosphere, in the form of shooting stars.
WORKING WORMS
DON'T JUST THROW THOSE TABLE SCRAPS AWAY! LET A BOX OF WORMS TURN THEM INTO SOMETHING USEFUL.
Dog Rescue Saves Lives
THE ARGUMENT FOR ADOPTING A NO-KILL GOAL