2 New Ponies Born On Assateague Island In Maryland

BERLIN, Md. (AP) -- Two new foals have been spotted among the wild pony herd at Maryland's Assateague Island National Seashore.

Park staff say they saw a pinto-colored filly and a bay foal of unknown gender among the wild horses this month.

Christina Hulslander, head of the Assateague Island Alliance, tells The Daily Times  that the births were not expected. A contraceptive program is in place to control the horse population, but a handful of foals are born on the barrier
island each year.

She says the park has made efforts to keep the majority of its mares from getting pregnant to help keep the island's ecosystem sustainable. Contraceptive-medicated darts are used to control the number of mares that get pregnant.

The herd's two newest members will be named this fall.

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