Miles of linear lath-fence protect the fragile dunes from clumsy beachgoers and act as a windbreak to catch blowing sand. Access to the beach is restricted to designated passageways, solidly fenced such as this one, which even the wild horses use.
These hardy feral ponies are reputedly the descendants of survivors from shipwrecked Spanish galleons in the 1600's. There are herds on the barrier islands of Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. These are totally wild animals, fearlessly disregarding human presence, unless approached closely or feeling threatened, then they will kick and bite. They have no predators, although careless tourist vehicles kill one or two annually. Authorities in Maryland use birth control darts to keep the herd there at about 100 - 110 animals.