National Wildlife Refuges Re-Open as Tropical Storm Ernesto Passes

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said today most of its national wildlife refuges and other Service facilities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have re-opened in the wake of Tropical Storm Ernesto. No major damage was reported.

Heavy rainfall from the storm caused minor flooding in some areas of North Carolina and as a result, the following refuges will be partially or fully closed through the weekend:

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The public is advised to call these refuges for updates on the closures.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands, and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices, and 78 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies.