Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1992 to preserve waterfowl habitat and hardwood forest of the lower Mississippi river. The 13200 acres (53.4 km²) refuge is located in Concordia Parish, Louisiana
, 10 miles (16.1 km) southwest of Vidalia, Louisiana
. It is named for the state-designated scenic river of Bayou Cocodrie.
The Nature Conservancy purchased an 11403 acres (46.1 km²) core tract in 1991 from the Fisher Lumber Company, a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. The Conservancy then sold the land to the US Fish and Wildlife Service over a span of five years.
The bottomland hardwoods at Bayou Cocodrie have been noted as some of the last remaining, least disturbed timber of what historically was once a vast hardwood forest along the Mississippi River from Illinois to Louisiana.
s utilized by wintering waterfowl such as mallard, pintail and shoveler duck species. The wood duck
is found in the refuge and is one of the reasons for the establishment of the Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife Refuge. Other birds include Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey and Swainson's warbler
. At least 186 bird species have been identified in the refuge.
The Louisiana black bear, federally listed as threatened since 1992, is known to occur in the Bayou Cocodrie. The historic range of the Louisiana black bear included southern Louisiana, Mississippi and east Texas, and is a subspecies of the American black bear
.
Concordia Parish, Louisiana
Concordia Parish borders the Mississippi River in eastern Louisiana. The parish seat is Vidalia. As of 2000, the population was 20,247. It is part of the Natchez, MS–LA Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Prehistory:...
, 10 miles (16.1 km) southwest of Vidalia, Louisiana
Vidalia, Louisiana
Vidalia is a city in and the parish seat of Concordia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,543 at the 2000 census.- Geography :Vidalia is located at and has an elevation of ....
. It is named for the state-designated scenic river of Bayou Cocodrie.
The Nature Conservancy purchased an 11403 acres (46.1 km²) core tract in 1991 from the Fisher Lumber Company, a subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. The Conservancy then sold the land to the US Fish and Wildlife Service over a span of five years.
The bottomland hardwoods at Bayou Cocodrie have been noted as some of the last remaining, least disturbed timber of what historically was once a vast hardwood forest along the Mississippi River from Illinois to Louisiana.
Flora and fauna
The majority of the refuge is hardwood forest of oak, gum, and ash. A 1000 acres (4 km²) site of hardwood is designated a Natural Resource Area for study purposes. The remaining habitat is wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s utilized by wintering waterfowl such as mallard, pintail and shoveler duck species. The wood duck
Wood Duck
The Wood Duck or Carolina Duck is a species of duck found in North America. It is one of the most colourful of North American waterfowl.-Description:...
is found in the refuge and is one of the reasons for the establishment of the Bayou Cocodrie National Wildlife Refuge. Other birds include Bald Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Osprey and Swainson's warbler
Swainson's Warbler
Swainson's Warbler, Limnothlypis swainsonii, is a small species of New World warbler. It is monotypic, the only member of the genus Limnothlypis.-Description:...
. At least 186 bird species have been identified in the refuge.
The Louisiana black bear, federally listed as threatened since 1992, is known to occur in the Bayou Cocodrie. The historic range of the Louisiana black bear included southern Louisiana, Mississippi and east Texas, and is a subspecies of the American black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
.
See also
- List of National Wildlife Refuges: Louisiana