SPI Unit

The South Padre Island Unit consists of 21 separate tracts along the north end of South Padre Island, Texas. The first Refuge tract is about 9.5 miles north of the Town of South Padre Island.

In 2000, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) acquired 24,500 acres on the north end of South Padre Island in order to protect the important barrier island ecosystem and the Lower Laguna Madre. By 2005, TNC had fully transferred all of their property on the Island to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for inclusion in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).

Today, visitors are encouraged to enjoy wildlife-dependent recreation on the South Padre Island Unit, including wildlife watching, nature photography, fishing, beach-combing.

Nesting Kemp's ridley sea turtle. Photo by USFWS.

Visitors may be fortunate enough to see a nesting Kemp's ridley sea turtle, the most endangered of the five sea turtle species. The turtles come onto the warm sands of the Island to lay their eggs during the months of May to August. Another notable species found on the Island is the peregrine falcon. During migration, the Island becomes a major staging area for this bird that is able to reach speeds of up to 150 miles an hour. The adjacent bayside saltflats are an important nesting area for Wilson's and Snowy plovers and Piping plovers occur here in the winter, along the beach and washover areas. There is a lot to see on the South Padre Island Unit!

Things to Remember:

• Please help protect nesting sea turtles by always driving the speed limit. Nesting season is May through August.
• If you see a nesting sea turtle or her hatchlings, stay near and protect her from danger but do not disturb her. Immediately call the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (956)784-7520 or Sea Turtle, Inc. at (956)761-4511.
• Always take your trash out with you. Litter kills countless numbers of wildlife, including sea turtles, birds, fish and more.
• It is a federal offense to disturb or harrass federally listed threatened or endangered species and is punishable by fine.
• Always have plenty of water, sun protection and a tow rope.