Assateague beach11/26/2023 Other inhabitants are less conspicuous than the large mammals. While Assateague's wild horses are perhaps the island's best-known inhabitants, other large mammals also roam the park, including the native white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) and the non-native sika deer ( Cervus japonica), a diminutive species of Asian elk introduced to Assateague during the 1920s. Over time, these conditions have produced a community of plants and animals uniquely suited to the extremes found at the edge of the sea.įlora and fauna A sunset on the bayside wetlands looks beautiful, but bring bug repellant! Exposure to salt spray, lack of fresh water, and isolation from the mainland are subtle, but powerful influences on the Island's species composition. Other forces sculpt the landscape in less obvious ways. Powerful storms can dramatically alter the shoreline in a matter of hours, as waves wash over the beach and reshape the island from ocean to bay. The geography of the island itself is in a state of constant flux, continuously being reshaped by the elemental forces of wind and water. More than half of Assateague Island National Seashore's 48,000 acres (19,000 hectares) is near-shore and estuarine waters, and the interplay between these waters and the barrier island affects nearly every aspect of life in this dynamic coastal environment. Others say that someone put the ponies over on the island so that they could avoid fencing laws. There are many different theories to how the ponies got to the island some say they are survivors of a shipwreck, but there is no evidence to support this. This habitat is home to migratory birds, plants, and of course wild ponies. The island has 14,000 acres (5,700 hectares) of beach, a forest, as well as saltwater marsh and freshwater marsh habitats. It is completely uninhabited, and open only to daytime canoe/kayak and foot visits.Īssateague Island National Park was established in 1943. The southern third of the island runs into Virginia, and is managed by the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge. The northern tip of the island is a Maryland state park, while the rest of the Maryland section of the island is a United States National Seashore. Assateague Island is a beautiful barrier island, administrated by park services, permanently uninhabited, and most famous for its charismatic wild ponies.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |