Reservations are now open for Sea Turtle Walks.
Join a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ranger to learn about sea turtle conservation and the chance to witness a nesting sea turtle laying eggs.
Space is limited on these afterhours night walks.
Follow the link to purchase tickets from the Merritt Island Wildlife Association. https://bit.ly/2025turtlewalks
For additional information, please call (321) 861-0669.
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center will be closed until further notice due to ongoing construction. Visitor services will be available at a temporary contact station located near the west entrance of the refuge adjacent to West Gator Creek Road, approximately ½ mile east of the A. Max Brewer Memorial Parkway bridge. Use the following link to navigate to the temporary contact station: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nuwDqGZp276mG7V78. The contact station will be open from 8:00 AM until 3:30 PM, Tuesday through Saturday. In addition to visitor assistance and guidance, refuge maps and entrance passes will be available. Visitors will also be able to visit the Nature’s Treasures gift shop located within the contact station.
Visit Us
National wildlife refuges offer us all a chance to unplug from the stresses of daily life and reconnect with our natural surroundings. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge offers a wide diversity of recreational and educational opportunities. From bird watching and nature study, to fishing and seasonal hunting, you are sure to find an activity to satisfy your passion.
Location and Contact Information
About Us
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established as an overlay of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s John F. Kennedy Space Center. According to the agreement with NASA, the lands and waters of the Kennedy Space Center are primarily to serve the space program and secondarily to serve as a wildlife refuge or park.
What We Do
Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used.
Our Species
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1963 for the protection of migratory birds. Consisting of 140,000 acres, the refuge provides a wide variety of habitats: coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, managed impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks. These habitats provide habitat for more than 1,500 species of plants and animals and 15 federally listed species.
Our Library
Visit our digital library to view our brochures and publications all in one convenient location.
