Chincoteague/Assateague, Virginia
October 2016
Chincoteague is a town located in the far northeastern portion of Virginia's Eastern Shore in Accomack County, Virginia. The town is known for the Chincoteague Ponies, although these are not actually on the island of Chincoteague but on nearby Assateague Island. The town has 9.1 square miles of land and 28.2 square miles of water.
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge includes more than 14,000 acres of beach, dunes, marsh, and maritime forest. Established in 1943 to provide habitat for migratory birds (with an emphasis on conserving greater snow geese), the refuge today provides habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, and song birds as well as other species of wildlife and plants. The refuge also provides wildlife-dependent recreational opportunities such as fishing, hunting, wildlife photography and observation, interpretation, and environmental education. The Virginia part of the Assateague National Seashore is contained within the National Wildlife Refuge.