Wild Horses: Public Property?
Overview:
Public lands, though owned by the citizens of the United States, are managed for multiple use. What happens when allowing one species to freely graze on the property endangers another plant or animal? This lesson introduces students to the challenge of maintaining balance among the “competing” species that coexist on public lands.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, science, math, social studies, English, history
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 10: "The characteristics, distribution, and complexity of Earth's cultural mosaics"
Standard 16: "The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance of resources"
Standard 18: "How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future"
Time:
Four hours
Materials Required:
* Computer with Internet access
* Copies of the brochure about Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore
Objectives:
Students will
* explain how the Chincoteague wild ponies have adapted to their environment;
* discern the challenges faced by land management teams that handle these pony herds; and
* propose a plan for balancing the needs of the ponies with those of other inhabitants.
Geographic Skills:
Asking Geographic Questions
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Write the following sentence on the board or overhead:
"Wild horses and burros are an integral part of the natural system of the public lands."
—The Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act of 1971
[Note: Explain to students that regulations also require that wild horses and burros be considered comparably with other resources within an area.]
Ask the students what they think of this statement. Do they agree that wild animals should be protected on public lands? Why or why not? What measures do they think should be taken to protect wild horses?
Explain to students that they will be learning about the wild ponies residing on Assateague Island in Maryland and Virginia and the challenges of managing their population while protecting other species and the public lands where they live.
Development:
Ask the students if they know anything about the ponies or if anyone has visited this island. Explain that there are several local legends for how the ponies arrived on Assateague Island. Share these three legends or theories:
* Ponies swam ashore after a Spanish galleon wrecked off the coast of Assateague Island.
* Ponies are descendants of a domesticated stock owned by 17th-century agriculturalists seeking to avoid mainland taxes and fencing requirements.
* Pirates brought the ponies to the island.
Explain that regardless of how they got there, these wild ponies have adapted to this environment. Share the following evidence of their adaptations:
* They graze on salty vegetation, so they drink much more than other horses and usually appear bloated or fat.
* Early ponies had solid coloring, yet a good number now have brown and white patches due to interbreeding with ponies brought to the island in the last 100 years.
* The horses on the island today are the size of ponies because poor diet and the harsh environment have impeded their growth.
The ponies share the land with other species and therefore conflicts have arisen over the limited resources. The following are some of the challenges created by the ponies:
* The marsh grass and sea oats, which hold fragile dunes in place, are often completely mowed down by the grazing ponies.
* The ponies must share limited food and water resources with other threatened and endangered species that inhabit the island.
* The horses' grazing and trampling endangers native wildlife such as ground-nesting birds and sea turtles.
Herd managers are responsible for resolving these conflicts. In attempting to manage the land for a variety of animals, these managers must monitor the forage and water as well as the number and types of animals present. Adjustments must be made so that animals do not suffer and the island does not deteriorate.
Tell students that they will now become the herd managers for the ponies that live on Assateague Island. Divide the class into groups of four or five. Provide each group with a copy of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore brochure (or have them read the information online).
The brochure details the property and the wildlife living on it. Have each group work together to develop a management plan for the ponies that will maintain the food supply, as well as the health of the area and its animal inhabitants. The plans must ensure proper utilization of the area by wild horses at a level sufficient to guarantee their continued existence without overburdening the area. They must take into account the cohabitation of all animals living on the refuge and seashore. Refer them to the Web sites found under Related Links to begin their research. These sites contain general information, so students will need to search for more specific sites about the ponies.
Closing:
Share with the students the actual management plans in place for the ponies:
Currently, there are two herds of ponies on the island, separated by a fence on the state line between Maryland and Virginia. The Northern, or Maryland herd, is managed by the National Park Service. The Southern, or Virginia herd, is owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. The herds are managed differently, but both managers must abide by the 1946 annual grazing permit system that was established for the Chincoteague ponies. Ponies continue to be allowed on the refuge, subject to the conditions of a permit which limits each herd to a maximum of 150 ponies. The population limit is an attempt to balance the health and well-being of the horses with the need to protect the island's other sensitive natural resources and values.
In Virginia, the internationally famous "Pony Penning" event—a popular tourist attraction—is responsible for meeting the limit of 150 adult animals on the Virginia side of the fence. The annual roundup and adoption auction serve to monitor and promote the health of the herd, maintain it at no more than 150 ponies, and provide significant revenue for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company.
A unique contraceptive has been developed for the Maryland herd. It is used to manage population growth on a long-term basis. This program began in 1994. (Information from Chincoteague Pony)
Suggested Student Assessment:
As a class, compare and contrast the students' management plans and the actual plans. Have students summarize the challenges they faced in creating their plans. What information was lacking? Would their plans have pleased everyone? What groups might have disagreed with their plans?
Extending the Lesson:
* Write a hypothetical adoption notice for a Chincoteague wild pony. Provide a name and background information, as well as some statistics (e.g., size, weight, and age) that might help someone who is thinking about adopting a pony.
* Many movies and books have been written about wild horses. Share reviews of your favorites. Watch or read one as a class.
Related Links:
National Geographic News: U.S. Wild Horses—Too Many Survivors on Too Little Land?
National Geographic: Sanctuary—U.S. Wildlife Refuges
National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity—Take Action! Steward Our Land
U.S. Bureau of Land Management: National Wild Horse and Burro Program
Wild Horse and Burro Freedom Alliance