Carneddau ponies are a breed of small Welsh Mountain ponies, present in the Carneddau mountains in north Wales, in Snowdonia (Eryri). They stand at 10-11 hands,[1] and in 2013, DNA identification revealed that they are a distinct, unique and ancient breed having been isolated in the Carneddau for centuries. "A study of their DNA shows they have been isolated for at least several hundred years, according to researchers at Aberystwyth University."[2] "Clare Winton, an IBERS post-graduate student who performed the study as part of her Ph.D thesis revealed: “Although the Carneddau ponies have shared ancestry with the Welsh Section A pony, they exhibit genetic signatures such as unique mutations while maintaining high genetic diversity, demonstrating that the population has been isolated for at least several hundred years. Therefore, the Carneddau ponies are a genetically distinct population.” [3]

Clare Winton's thesis "Genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis of native mountain ponies of Britain and Ireland reveal a novel rare population" where she and her colleagues state "Our results establish that the feral Carneddau ponies represent a unique and distinctive population that merits recognition as a defined population and conservation priority" can be seen here.[4][5][6] The population of the Carneddau ponies is in the hundreds [ 2020 ]but fluctuates being affected by the weather. In 2013 100s died in the heavy snow of that winter, but the population recovered in a few years.[7][8][9]

Carneddau ponies are not given supplementary feed like some semi-feral ponies and have " .. a wider, diet than domestic ponies, [and ] will eat soft rush, Molinia, gorse and mountain grasses."[10]

They can feed themselves in winter by scraping the snow of the grass, a trait shared only with other British isles ponies, but done more often as they get no supplementary feed. See this in the BBC's Winterheros from the winter of 2020/21.[11]

Carneddau pony

The ponies while semi-feral are owned by 7 local families who once a year round them up for health checks and to allow some ponies to be sold to keep the herd in balance.[12][13] In the past the Carneddau ponies were sold for working use e.g. for Pit Ponys, but now are sold only for leisure.[14]

These families are grouped in the Carneddau Pony Society of whom Gareth Wyn Jones is the leading spokesperson and protector of the herd, see being interviewed here "Wild as the Hills - The protection of the Carneddau Mountain wild ponies"[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Carneddau ponies- wildlife warriors from Snowdonia National Park | Campaign for National Parks". www.cnp.org.uk. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "Carneddau ponies a 'unique' breed, say Aberystwyth University researchers". BBC News. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "Native Welsh ponies unique - Aberystwyth University". www.aber.ac.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  4. ↑ https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/185303321.pdf
  5. ↑ Winton, Clare L; Hegarty, Matthew J; McMahon, Robert; Slavov, Gancho T; McEwan, Neil R; Davies-Morel, Mina CG; Morgan, Charly M; Powell, Wayne; Nash, Deborah M (April 2013). "Genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis of native mountain ponies of Britain and Ireland reveals a novel rare population". Ecology and Evolution. 3 (4): 934–947. Bibcode:2013EcoEv...3..934W. doi:10.1002/ece3.507. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC 3631405. PMID 23610635.
  6. ↑ "The free-living Carneddau pony in its natural environment in north..." ResearchGate. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  7. ↑ Trewyn, Hywel (31 March 2013). "Wild ponies found dead on Carneddau - but farmer not able to bury them". North Wales Live. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  8. ↑ Crump, Eryl (11 November 2013). "Wild ponies get a health check". North Wales Live. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  9. ↑ @NatGeoUK (30 September 2018). "The Wild Ponies of Wales: Rugged, Resilient and Under Threat". National Geographic. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  10. ↑ "Carneddau ponies- wildlife warriors from Snowdonia National Park | Campaign for National Parks". www.cnp.org.uk. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  11. ↑ "BBC One - Countryfile, Winter Heroes". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  12. ↑ Gareth Wyn Jones and the Carneddau mountain pony annual health-check round-up, retrieved 8 March 2021
  13. ↑ Ruth, Jan (5 November 2018). "The Big Picture". Jan Ruth. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  14. ↑ "Pit pony", Wikipedia, 1 February 2021, retrieved 8 March 2021
  15. ↑ Wild as the Hills - The protection of the Carneddau Mountain wild ponies., retrieved 8 March 2021
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