Cape Hatteras |
National Seashore |
U.S. Department of the Interior
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Adopt A Pony The Ocracoke Ponies are some of the island's most beloved residents. Although their exact origins are unknown, legends have them as survivors of shipwrecked European explorers in the 16th or 17th century. Physically, the Ocracoke Ponies are different from other horses. They have a different number of vertebrae and ribs than other horses. They also have a distinct shape, posture, color, size, and weight that set them apart from other breeds. The ponies roamed free on the island until they were penned in 1959 to prevent overgrazing and to protect them from faster moving traffic on the newly paved highway. The National Park Service has cared for them since the early 1960's. If you would like to help us protect the ponies, consider participating in the Adopt A Pony Program. Your $27 donation is used exclusively to help defray the costs of veterinary care, feed and hay, and the repair of the pony pasture and facilities. In return, you receive an attractive Cape Hatteras National Seashore binder containing a photo of a pony and a certificate of adoption with the pony's name, age, and description. To adopt a pony, send a $27 check or money order made out to the National
Park Service to: Ocracoke Ranger Station, P.O. Box 340, Ocracoke, NC
27960. OR save $2.00 and stop at the Ocracoke Visitor Center between
9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily and adopt a pony in person.  For additional information please write or call: Cape Hatteras National Seashore National Park Service 1401 National Park Drive Manteo, NC 27954 Call (252) 473-2111 updated: July 6, 2004 return to: Main Page • Park Map |