124 FA L L 2 014 U N TAC K E D
TRAVEL
Left: A curious
foal watches
us as her mom
picks up a few
bites on the
beach. Right:
Sable Island
horses graze
on tough mar-
ram grass, their
main sustenance,
against the
background of the
dunes.
Zoe pointed out the numer-
ous fresh water ponds scattered
about on Sable that provide
drinking water, for instance. But
where ponds are not available, she
explained, the horses dig in the
sand to reveal an underground res-
ervoir of fresh water.
e equines also share the
island with one of the world's larg-
est colonies of grey seals, as well as
harbor seals and a vast number of
birds, including the Ipswich spar-
row, which makes Sable its only
breeding ground in the world.
For Zoe, who loves the island's
peace and solitude, observing these
species is still a thrill, even after
almost 40 years. "If you could tell
the world any one thing about what
you've learned here, what would it
be?" I asked her.
"To be aware of what is going
on around you," she answered sim-
ply. "e horses of Sable Island
will be fine for now, but there are
so many other wild places out there
that also need our help."
