Aye, Aye, Captain!
NPS Lead Biological Science Technician Jocelyn Wright sent us this report today:
We have a new baby pony! He was born overnight between May 8th and 9th. His mother is Jitterbug and this is her first foal. Both Jitterbug and the foal are doing great. He was up, walking and nursing when Laura Michaels discovered him on May 9th.
In past years, the park has asked the school children to name the pony but this year we asked the Cape Hatteras National Seashore employees to submit names. It was a difficult decision with so many great names to choose from but we decided on Captain Marvin Howard and will call him Captain. Marvin Howard was also the brother of Lawton Howard whom another pony was named after in 2004.
"Captain Marvin Howard was a native Ocracoker who had spent many years away from home sailing throughout the world. He retired and returned home in the mid 1950's. Soon after returning he founded the only mounted boy scout troop in the United States. Each scout was responsible for catching, penning and taming his pony." – Ocracokers by Alton Ballance.
Captain and Jitterbug are not out for public viewing yet. We are housing them in a special pen that has been 'baby proofed' and to allow time for Captain and Jitterbug to rest and bond.
