The island of Shackleford Banks may be small-it's only nine miles long and one-half mile wide-but it has a long and interesting history. American Indians were the first to visit the barrier island, hundreds or even thousands of years ago. Next came European explorers in the 1500s, and this is when the horses come into the picture. Scientists know that the horses on Shackleford Banks today are related to those that Spanish explorers brought to North America. Historians don't know just how they reached North Carolina's Outer Banks, though. They're pretty sure the horses arrived in the 1500s, probably on a ship carrying either Spanish or English explorers.

Shackleford Banks is named for John Shackleford. He owned land in the early 1700s in the Core Sound area. Cape Lookout Bight-the area behind the fishhook of Cape Lookout-attracted people to the area in the colonial period. The water there was easy to navigate and protected ships from storms. It was a popular hangout for pirates in the early 1700s and Spanish galleons in the 1740s. Some on the ships would stop off at the eastern end of Shackleford Banks. People also came from New England to hunt for whales beginning in 1726.

The first people to live on Shackleford Banksalso hunted whales. Towns developed for thewhalers and those on visiting ships. The largesttown on the island was Diamond City, named afterthe diamond pattern on the nearby Cape LookoutLighthouse. Diamond City was on the east end ofthe island. By the late 1800s about 500 peoplelived in the community. It had several stores and aschool. The town was doing well until August1899. A big hurricane hit the island and manybuildings and boats were destroyed. Over thenext three years, everyone in Diamond City andsmaller towns moved from Shackleford Banks.Many took their houses apart, loaded them ontoboats, and put them back together on nearbyislands. They left behind only a few cemeteriesand fishing shacks, and farm animals to graze. Nopeople have lived on the island since then.

In 1966, the National Park Service created theCape Lookout National Seashore, which includesShackleford Banks. There were still cattle,sheep, and goats roaming the island at the time.They were removed in 1986 because they wereeating too much of the vegetation. The horses,though, stayed. In July 1998, the ShacklefordBanks Wild Horses Protection Act became a law.This act protects the horses and their health. Italso means that visitors to Shackleford Bankscan keep enjoying these small horses, as peoplehave been doing for hundreds of years.

Wildlife of Shackleford Banks, Cape Lookout National Seashore

The waters surrounding Cape Lookout National Seashore and Shackleford Banks arefeeding grounds for marine mammals and seaturtles. Four sea turtle species - Loggerhead, Green, Kemp's Ridley and Leatherback - are sometimesseen feeding in area waters. Only theLoggerhead sea turtle regularly nests on the park'sbeaches during the summer months. The others arefound only as juveniles or are just passing through.

Birds are the most easilyobserved animals inthe park. In summer, anumber of tern species,egrets, black skimmers,herons, piping ploversand other shorebirdsnest within the park'sboundaries. Additionally,spring and fall migrationbrings a number of differentspecies throughthe park, while stormyweather can drive a fewpelagic birds in from theopen ocean for a visit.

Mammals are uncommonon the islands; rabbits, river otters and raccoonsare some of the native species found here. Althoughtechnically not native to the island, the most popularspecies on Shackleford are the wild horses.Affectionately called "Banker ponies" by residents ofthe Outer Banks, these undersized animals roam thedunes and marshes and swim in the small channelsbetween the island and the nearby tidal flats, whichebb-out on the low tides and disappear again with thenext high tide.