Horse population growth and foal production on Assateague Island National Seashore, 1965-2015. Scientists also noted that fauna found within those habitats were impacted negatively by the reduction of habitat quality. Later ecological studies revealed that heavy grazing contributed to a reduction in the abundance, density, size and diversity of plants in both wetland and dune habitats. Additionally, scientists determined that the island could only support a limited number of horses if impacts to island vegetation were to be minimized. The studies focused on the species of vegetation that the horses prefer- saltmarsh cordgrass (Spartina alternafiora), American beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata), and three-square sedge (Scirpus americana)- and revealed that these species were being over grazed. Subsequently, a series of studies were launched to determine the impact of the horses on island vegetation. With a ballooning population, important concerns surfaced for managers: how to protect the longterm health and viability of the horses while at the same time minimizing their impact on the environment. This information is then added to a data base where scientists and seashore managers track biological data such as age structure, maternal ancestry of the herd, the ratio of male to female horses, mortality and frequency of foaling.Įarly surveys revealed that the original population of 10 horses present when the seashore was established was increasing at a rate of 10 to 15 percent annually. During the surveys, which are completed six times a year by vehicle and foot, each horse in the population is accounted for.Ī sighting record is completed as each horse is identified by a combination of features such as color, sex, markings, and scars. Surveys continue today over a 35 km (21 mile) area between the Ocean City Inlet and the Virginia state line. It was not until 1975 that scientists began to study the seashore's horse population. That number had increased to 28 when the seashore acquired ownership of the horses in 1968. When most of the Maryland portion of Assateague Island became a national seashore in 1965, there were 10 horses living within the new park's boundaries.
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