Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
| Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Assateague Channel with Assateague Lighthouse in the distance | |
Map of the United States | |
| Location | Accomack County, Virginia / Worcester County, Maryland |
| Nearest city | Chincoteague, Virginia |
| Coordinates | 37°57′15″N 75°19′00″W / 37.95417°N 75.31667°W |
| Area | 14,000 acres (57 km2) |
| Established | 1943 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Website | Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge |
The Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is a 14,000-acre (57 km2) wildlife preserve operated by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. It is primarily located on the Virginia half of Assateague Island with portions (only about 3%) located on the Maryland side of the island, as well as Morris Island and Wildcat Marsh. Mostly composed of beach, dunes, marsh, and maritime forest, the refuge contains a large variety of wildlife, including the Chincoteague pony. The purpose of the refuge is to maintain, regulate, and preserve animal and plant species as well as their habitats for present and future generations.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most-visited wildlife refuges in the country, drawing 1.5 million annual visitors via neighboring Chincoteague, with most arriving in the summer for the public beach. The refuge is also popular for the Chincoteague Island Pony Swim, in which the refuge's herd of ponies is rounded up and corralled before swimming the channel to Chincoteague.
The refuge is part of Assateague Island National Seashore but is managed separately from the Maryland portion of the National Seashore, which is operated by the National Park Service.