Eastern Shore Focus - Show # 29: Assateague Island / Copper Theft

PRINCESS ANNE, MD –

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Show Information:

Show Number: 29
Subject(s): Assateague Island / Copper Theft
Guest(s):
- Joy Oakes - NPCA Regional Director
- Capt. Scott Keller - Princess Anne PD
- Lt. Robert Kemp & Det. Scott Elliott - Salisbury PD
- Matt Likovich - Delmarva Power Spokesman
Original Airdate: Saturday, September 22, 2007
Approx. Length: 29 minutes

Brief Synopsis:

Assateague Island is a popular tourist destination for people visiting the Eastern Shore - drawing over three million visitors each year. One of the island's most popular highlights is the pony penning, which occurs when the island's wild horses are rounded up, to swim from Assateague Island to Chincoteague, Virginia.

However, a report recently released by the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) says that those same horses are endangering the island's natural habitat. Among other findings, the report says that these wild horses are overgrazing, and displacing a lot of the island's native wildlife. We'll talk with Joy Oakes, Senior Regional Director for the NPCA, about this report.

Also, we'll learn about a recent spike in the theft of copper guttering, spouts and electrical wiring over the past few months, and what local law enforcement is doing about it.

Additional Links & Information:

Summary and Full NPCA report on the state of the Assateague Island National Seashore:
http://www.npca.org/stateoftheparks/assateague/

National Parks Conservation Association:
http://www.npca.org/

Official website for the National Park Service - Assateague Island:
http://www.nps.gov/asis/

Salisbury Police Department
699 W Salisbury Pkwy
Salisbury, Maryland 21801
410-548-3165
Crime Solvers: 410.548.1776
Website: http://www.salisburypd.com/

Assateague ponies may be endangering island:
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wesm/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1151487

Questions or Comments?

E-mail us: wesm913@umes.edu
Or call 410-651-8001