Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located on the north end of North Carolina's Hatteras Island, a coastal barrier island and part of a chain of islands known as the Outer Banks, adjacent to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The sanctuary is located 10 miles south of Nags Head, North Carolina on NC 12.

The refuge objectives are to provide nesting, resting, and wintering habitat for migratory birds, including the greater snow geese and other migratory waterfowl, shorebirds, wading birds, raptors, and neotropical migrants, as well as habitat and protection for endangered and threatened species. Objectives also include providing opportunities for public enjoyment of wildlife and wildlands resources. Public use programs focus on interpretation, environmental education, wildlife observation, wildlife photography, and fishing.

Refuge facts

The refuge was established May 17, 1937. It includes 5,834 acres (23.6 km²) of land and 25,700 acres (104 km²) Proclamation Boundary Waters. The refuge is approximately 13 miles long (north to south) and ranges from a quarter mile to 1 mile wide (from east to west).

The refuge is administered by the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge as a part of a refuge complex; the manager of the Alligator River refuge supervises the managers of the Mackay Island, Currituck, and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuges. The Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan for the refuge was completed in September 2006. A 36-person staff administers both Pea Island and Alligator River National Wildlife Refuges, with a budget of $2,827K (FY 03) for both refuges. Numerous volunteers devote approximately 35,000 hours each year to the Refuge.

There are 2.7 million visitors annually. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is known as a "Birder's Paradise"; birders make up some of the many visitors. Other eco-tourists include canoeists and kayakers, beachcombers, surf and sound anglers, and nature photographers.

Natural history

The refuge is comprised of ocean beach, dunes, upland, fresh and brackish water ponds, salt flats, and salt marsh. There are more than 365 species of birds, 25 species of mammals, 24 species of reptiles, and 5 species of amphibians. There are concentrations of ducks, geese, swans, wading birds, shore birds, and raptors. There are neotropical migrants that are seasonally abundant on refuge. The refuge has 1,000 acres (4 km²) of manageable waterfowl impoundments, and there are several shorebird nesting areas and wading bird rookeries are located in the refuge. Endangered and threatened species include shortnose sturgeon, american alligator, red wolf, peregrine falcons, loggerhead sea turtles, green sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, red-cockaded woodpecker, roseate tern, West Indian manatee, seabeach amaranth, and piping plovers.

The refuge area was historically used for market waterfowl hunting, commercial fishing, farming, and livestock operations.

ee also

* Pea Island Life-Saving Station

References

* [http://www.fws.gov/southeast/pubs/facts/pldcon.pdf Pea Island fact sheet (.pdf)]
* Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan. September 2006.

External links

* [http://www.fws.gov/peaisland/ Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge official site]
* [http://www.fws.gov/alligatorriver/ Alligator River Refuge official site]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge — Sp Žirnių Salõs nacionãlinis gamtõs rezervãtas Ap Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge L JAV (Š. Karolina) …   Pasaulio vietovardžiai. Internetinė duomenų bazė

  • Nomans Land Island National Wildlife Refuge — Nomans Land Island Wildlife Refuge IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area) 1995 USGS Photograph of Nomans Land Island …   Wikipedia

  • Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge — The Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge was established on March 14, 1994, to preserve and protect a unique wetland habitat type the pocosin and its associated wildlife species.The Refuge attracts visitors worldwide for its red wolf howling… …   Wikipedia

  • Pea Island — ist der Name mehrerer Inseln in den Vereinigten Staaten: Pea Island (Bristol County, Massachusetts) Pea Island (Essex County, Massachusetts) Pea Island (New York) Pea Island (North Carolina) Pea Island (South Carolina) Sonstiges: Pea Island… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Currituck National Wildlife Refuge — Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, located on the northern end of North Carolina s Outer Banks, was established in 1984 to preserve and protect the coastal barrier island ecosystem. Refuge lands are managed to provide wintering habitat for… …   Wikipedia

  • Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge — Coordinates: 35°30′00″N 76°12′00″W / 35.5°N 76.2°W / 35.5; 76.2 The Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge is a …   Wikipedia

  • List of National Wildlife Refuges — As of 30 July 2007, there were 548 National Wildlife Refuges in each of the United States. Refuges that have boundaries in multiple states are listed only in the state where the main visitor entrance is located. The newest one made is the Rocky… …   Wikipedia

  • Liste des national wildlife refuges des États-Unis — Au 30 juillet 2007, les États Unis d Amérique comptait 548 National Wildlife Refuges, ces refuges étant répartis dans tout le pays. Un des derniers créés se trouve dans les Rocky Flats au Colorado[1] Administration L administration… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • List of National Wildlife Refuges of the United States — As of 30 July 2007, there were 548 National Wildlife Refuges in the United States. Refuges that have boundaries in multiple states are listed only in the state where the main visitor entrance is located. The newest one established is the Rocky… …   Wikipedia

  • Liste der National Wildlife Refuges der Vereinigten Staaten — Zum 30. Juli 2007 gab es 548 National Wildlife Refuges in den Vereinigten Staaten. Refuges mit Anteilen in mehreren Bundesstaaten werden nur in den Staaten gelistet, in denen sich der Haupteingang für Besucher befindet. Das jüngste Refuge ist das …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”