Thousands of visitors will flock to national wildlife refuges for National Wildlife Refuge Week October 10-16, where they will celebrate the National Wildlife Refuge Systems pivotal role in the protection and recovery of wildlife species across the country.
Bald eagles, whooping cranes and the California condor are some of the endangered and threatened species that have been helped back from the brink of extinction by the work of Service biologists on national wildlife refuges. Nearly 260 threatened or endangered species are found on national wildlife refuges, where they often begin their recovery or hold their own against extinction.
"Wildlife refuges are critically important for endangered wildlife," U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Steve Williams said. They prove their value in that arena every day. Some of the best conservation work is done on refuges and we work hard everyday to raise awareness and promote access to our refuges for hunting, fishing, birdwatching, photography, education, and other opportunities. There is no better place to reconnect with both wildlife and the family than on a wildlife refuge."
The National Wildlife Refuge System, established in 1903, has 544 national wildlife refuges, more than 3,000 waterfowl production areas and spans approximately 100 million acres. It provides habitat for more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species, more than 1,000 fish, and countless species of invertebrates and plants.
At the same time, the National Wildlife Refuge System offers unparalleled wildlife-dependent recreation. It has more than 890 trails covering approximately 2,500 miles, open to the public for wildlife observation and photography. Hunting is offered on 308 refuges; fishing is available on 270 refuges. Additionally, hundreds of environmental education programs are offered on refuges across the country.
But nowhere is the work of national wildlife refuges more important than in the recovery and protection of endangered and threatened species. The California condor, for example, dropped to a low of just 22 birds in 1983. Today, more than 100 condors soar in the wild, many captive-bred birds released on California refuges dedicated to their recovery.
"We are fortunate to have the National Wildlife Refuge System as both an incubator and protector of endangered species and as a place where we can find such traditional recreation as hunting and fishing," Williams said. "I look forward to celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week on a refuge -- seeing a new generation enjoy our outstanding natural resources."
Every state has at least one 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 . People living in metropolitan areas can usually find a national wildlife refuge just an hours drive from home.
"We encourage people to use National Wildlife Refuge Week as a chance to discover wildlife refuges. Look for one near your home," noted National Wildlife Refuge System Chief Bill Hartwig.
Sample events during National Wildlife Refuge Week: For a complete list of events, go to http://refugedata.fws.gov/databases/events.taf?_function=list&_UserReference=85D4D5C32E5CFBCBC4D06C4E&_start=1
