Refuge Named for Sam Hamilton

Noxubee Refuge, MS

Credit: Marion Sansing

President Obama signed legislation to change the name of Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, MS, to the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, in honor of the late director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  On almost the same day, a manatee named for Sam Hamilton was released to the wild at Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, FL.

“Sam Hamilton first fell in love with fish and wildlife at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge where he started working at age 15 for the Youth Conservation Corps,” said Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. “It is fitting that now the same refuge will carry his name so that his great conservation legacy will live on.”

Hamilton led the Southeast Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 12 years.  The current Southeast Regional Director, Cindy Dohner, said, “Because of Sam’s connection to the Starkville, MS, area, this refuge will mark a lasting legacy that his family and the Service can be proud of for generations to come. And ‘that’ll work’ as Sam would say.”

The legislation to rename the refuge was sponsored by Rep. Gregg Harper of Mississippi in the U.S. House of Representatives and Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran in the U.S. Senate. 

Established in 1940, the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge includes 42,500 acres of bottomland and upland woodlands that provide essential habitat to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, the American alligator, bobcat, quail, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys. In addition, 15,000 waterfowl, primarily American widgeons, gadwalls, mallards and wood ducks, winter on the refuge.

Manatees Returned to Wild

Three rescued manatees were returned to the wild at Three Sisters Springs, in Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, FL. One had been named in honor of Sam Hamilton.

Hamilton, C.C. Baby and Krystal were released with the help of more than 20 employees and volunteers from the refuge and four other organizations.  Radio transmitters on each of the manatees will be used to monitor their activities for several months.

Hamilton was rescued as an orphan calf in February 2010, two days after the death of the director. At the time, he weighed 205 pounds; he now weighs 670 pounds.