Wildlife Management

The islands are more than a place to enjoy a warm summer’s day. For sea turtles and many shore birds, the beaches are a nursery for their young. Some endangered plants, such as Seabeach Amaranth, only grow on specific areas of the dunes. The wild horses of Shackleford Banks depend exclusively on the resources of their island to survive.

The National Park Service must balance the needs of those who use the islands for recreation with the needs of those who use them for survival. For this reason, the park’s resource management staff spends most of the spring and summer monitoring and marking the areas needed by nesting shore birds and sea turtles as well as endangered plant species. The Shackleford horses are monitored all year.

Below are links to reports that tell us how we are doing in sharing the islands with those who need them for survival. These reports are available for download in pdf format.

 
A shorebird wades through the surf.

NPS Photo/Brit Brown

 

Shorebird Monitoring Report

2022 Annual Report for piping plover, red knots, American oystercatcher, & colonial nesting shorebirds (pdf, 1.25 MB)
2021 Annual Report for piping plover, red knots, American oystercatcher, & colonial nesting shorebirds (pdf, 7.54 MB)

2018 Annual Report for piping plover, red knots, American oystercatcher, & colonial nesting shorebirds (pdf, 6.03 MB)

Sea Turtle Monitoring Report

2022 Annual Report (pdf, 2.5 MB)
2021 Annual Report (pdf, 1.28 MB)

2018 Annual Report (pdf, 3.98 MB)

Horse Findings Report

2023 Annual Report (pdf, 197 kb)
2022 Annual Report (pdf, 154 kb)
2021 Annual Report (pdf, 171 kb)
2020 Annual Report (pdf, 173 kb)
2019 Annual Report (pdf, 168 kb)
 

Archived Reports (reports from 2017 and earlier)

These reports are available in pdf format and are listed in tables. This part of the website is best accessed by computer rather than mobile device or screen reader.

Note: The individual report files for all but the sea turtle reports have been updated to be compliant with 508 requirements. The sea turtle reports are still being worked on and will be reposted soon. Contact us for more information.
 

Bird Counts & Monitoring Reports

Red Knot Wilson's Plover Colonial Nesting Waterbirds
2017 (pdf, 810 Kb) 2017 (pdf, 23 Kb) 2017 (pdf, 907 Kb)
2016 (pdf, 560 Kb) 2016 2016
2015 (pdf, 575 Kb) 2015 (pdf, 17 Kb) 2015 (pdf, 325 Kb)
2014 (pdf, 625 Kb) 2014 (pdf, 38 Kb) 2014 (pdf, 484 Kb)
2013 (pdf, 681 Kb) 2013 (pdf, 17 Kb) 2013 (pdf, 548 Kb)
2012 (pdf, 493 Kb) 2012 (pdf, 43 Kb) 2012 (pdf, 289 Kb)
2011 (pdf, 412 Kb) 2011 (pdf, 43 Kb) 2011 (pdf, 331 Kb)
2010 (pdf, 239 Kb) 2010 (pdf, 15 Kb) 2010 (pdf, 311 Kb)
2009 (pdf, 383 Kb) 2009 (pdf, 10 Kb) 2009 (pdf, 441 Kb)
2008 (pdf, 713 Kb) 2008 (pdf, 14 Kb) 2008 (pdf, 167 Kb)
2007 (pdf, 459 Kb) 2007 (pdf, 29 Kb) 2007 (pdf, 170 Kb)
2006 (pdf, 436 Kb)
 

Nesting Success Reports

Sea Turtles American Oystercatchers Piping Plovers
2017 (pdf, 1.08 MB) 2017 (pdf, 2.14 MB) 2017 (pdf, 4.04 MB)
2016 (pdf, 1.07 MB) 2016 (pdf, 1.27 MB ) 2016 (pdf, 1.51 MB)
2015 (pdf, 1.17 MB) 2015 (pdf, 1.69 Kb) 2015 (pdf, 1.47 MB)
2014 (pdf, 1.08 MB) 2014 (pdf, 851 Kb) 2014 (pdf, 4.01 MB)
2013 (pdf, 1.01 MB) 2013 (pdf, 652 Kb) 2013 (pdf, 1.39 MB)
2012 (pdf, 552 Kb) 2012 (pdf, 588 Kb) 2012 (pdf, 3.54 MB)
2011 (pdf, 1.15 MB) 2011 (pdf, 651 Kb) 2011 (pdf, 1.23 MB)
2010 (pdf, 1.10 MB) 2010 (pdf, 634 Kb) 2010 (pdf, 1.16 MB)
2009 (pdf, 1.13 MB) 2009 (pdf, 760 Kb) 2009 (pdf, 5.06 MB)
2008 (pdf, 1.07 MB) 2008 (pdf, 493 Kb) 2008 (pdf, 12.95 MB)
2007 (pdf, 566 Kb) 2007 (pdf, 452 Kb) 2007 (pdf, 10.15 MB)
2006 (pdf, 1.12 MB) 2006 (pdf, 188 Kb) 2006 (pdf, 214 Kb)
2005 (pdf, 689 Kb) 2005 (pdf, 188 Kb) 2005 summary (pdf, 16 Kb)
2004 (pdf, 519 Kb) 2004 (pdf, 238 Kb) 2004 (pdf, 187 Kb)
2003 (pdf, 545 Kb) 2003 (pdf, 870 Kb) 2003 (pdf, 167 Kb)
2002 (pdf, 473 Kb) 2002 (pdf, 255 Kb) 2002 (pdf, 120 Kb)
2001 (pdf, 293 Kb) 2001 (pdf, 224 Kb) 2001 (pdf, 153 Kb)
2000 (pdf, 306 Kb) 2000 (pdf, 22 Kb) 2000 (pdf, 114 Kb)
1999 (pdf, 98 Kb) 1999 (pdf, 32 Kb)
1998 (pdf, 24 Kb)
 

Endangered Plant Species Reports

Sea Beach Amaranth
2014 (pdf, 613 Kb) 2013 (pdf, 556 Kb)
2012 (pdf, 1.5 MB) 2011 (pdf, 554 Kb)
2010 (pdf, 538 Kb) 2009 (pdf, 278 Kb)
2008 (pdf, 273 Kb) 2007 (pdf, 317 Kb)
 

Shackleford Banks Wild Horse Reports

Herd Findings Reports
2018 (pdf, 120 kb) 2017 (pdf, 395 kb)
2016 (pdf, 323 kb) 2015 (pdf, 396 kb)
2014 (pdf, 479 Kb) 2013 (pdf, 264 Kb)
2012 (pdf, 180 Kb) 2011 (pdf, 378 Kb)
2010 (pdf, 378 Kb) 2009 (pdf, 49 Kb)
2008 (pdf, 102 Kb) 2007 (pdf, 30 Kb)
2006 (pdf, 40 Kb) 2005 (pdf, 39 Kb)
2004 (pdf, 54 Kb) 2003 (pdf, 67 Kb)
2002 (pdf, 38 Kb) 2001 (pdf, 83 Kb)
2000 (pdf, 39 Kb) 1999 (pdf, 49 Kb)

 
Ocracoke Herd Manager Laura Michaels and Sacajawea
Ocracoke Herd Manager Laura Michaels and Sacajawea, a 2 year-old Shackleford filly.

NPS Photo

Research Reports
Nutrient Composition and Selection, 2009 (pdf, 742 Kb)

New additions to the Ocracoke Pony Herd (Cape Hatteras National Seashore), 2009 (pdf, 21 Kb)

Last updated: February 25, 2024

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

131 Charles St
Harkers Island, NC 28531

Phone:

252 728-2250

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