Fifty–eight national wildlife refuges were established to protect endangered species; 248 refuges are home to more than 280 endangered or threatened species. The photographs on these two pages feature a handful of those species. Most of these species occur on more than one refuge.


photo of seal
Hawaiian Monk Seal

Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Credit: James Watt

photo of toad
Arroyo Toad

San Diego National Wildlife Refuge California
Credit: Will Flaxington

photo of mussels
Higgins Eye Pearlymussel

Great River National Wildlife Refuge Illinois, Missouri
Credit: USFWS
photo of wolf
Red Wolf

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge North Carolina
Credit: Greg Koch

photo of cactus
Sclerocactus Glaucus

Ouray National Wildlife Refuge Utah
Credit: Bekee Hotze/USFWS
photo of butterfly
Karner Blue Butterfly

Necedah National Wildlife Refuge Wisconsin
Credit: Joel Trick/USFWS