"The mysterious origin story of the wild ponies on Assateague Island might finally be closer to being resolved, thanks to a recent scientific discovery that all happened by chance.
The island is a barrier that spans the borders of Maryland and Virginia, and is famous for its wild pony population. Throughout, you will see these small horses grazing, walking and just hanging out. Visitors can camp on the beach and enjoy a unique vacation spot that allows the four legged inhabitants to interact with guests.
But the ponies are not native to those beaches. And rather than being wild horses, they're considered feral (and have been known to bite overly curious humans.) One of the larger herds lives in the Chincoteague Wild Refuge on Virginia's part of the island.
For years, people have speculated over how they ended up there. Local legend says that a ship wrecked off the coast centuries ago, and the domesticated horses onboard swam to shore. But there's never been any records of that ship or any concrete evidence that this could be the case — until now.
A scientist in Florida may have uncovered a connection to the horses and their DNA, and it all happened by accident."
Erika Ryan and Justine Kenin report for NPR August 11, 2022.
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