Wild ponies living on Virginia’s Eastern Shore get a roundup. Why? Visitors have ignored warnings that say, “Don’t come too close!”

People love to come see the wild Chincoteague ponies every year. The unique animals live on two islands—Chincoteague and Assateague. Every year, about 60 new ponies are born on Assateague Island. If they all kept living there, they would run out of food. So people round them up every summer and move them to Chincoteague. Foals are auctioned. Thousands of people watch the ponies swim from island to island.

The official pony roundup will happen on April 12 and 13. That’s when the ponies get a health check. At that time, authorities will also check to see if any new foals have been born. But this year, the ponies will stay corralled on Assateague Island until those days.

The Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company owns and cares for the Virginia pony herds on Assateague Island. Spokeswoman Denise Bowden says they’ve tried many times to teach people not to come near the ponies. She warns: One kick or bite from one of these animals could badly injure someone!

You can read lots more about Chincoteague ponies at WORLDKids!

Recommended Reading: For a classic fictional story about Virginia's wild ponies, read Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry.