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Bayou Teche
National Wildlife Refuge
3599 Bayou Black Dr.
houma, LA   70360
E-mail: bayouteche@fws.gov
Phone Number: 337-828-0092
Visit the Refuge's Web Site:
http://www.fws.gov/bayouteche/		 Refuge staff working with Louisiana's teachers to learn more about the refuge and its mission species, the threatened Louisiana Black Bear.
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  History
Continued . . .

It was established under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, with a primary mission of conservation of habitat for the threatened Louisiana black bear. The Louisiana black bear is a subspecies of the American black bear and had a historical range including the States of Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi. Current population estimates suggest that several hundred bears survive today throughout its range. Breeding populations of these bears currently exist in 3 isolated pockets of Louisiana.

The Bayou Teche NWR was established on lands important to the coastal subpopulation of bears, and became the first federal lands within the area of this surviving sub-population. The Refuge is also the only National Wildlife Refuge with a specific mission to manage for black bears.

 
 
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