Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States
National Wildlife Refuge
System, located in a region known as the 'Backcountry', which reaches from north of Marathon
to north of Key West
. It is along the north side of the Keys in that area that border the Gulf of Mexico
. The 130,187 acre (527 km2) refuge (6,207 acres (25 km2) of it land, 123,980 (502 km2) water) was established on October 27, 1938, as a haven for great white heron
s, migratory birds, and other wildlife
Approximately 1,900 acres (8 km2) are designated as a National Wilderness Area. The refuge is administered as part of the National Key Deer Refuge
.
, though some of the larger islands contain pine rockland and tropical hardwood hammock
habitats.
have been known to feed in the refuge. Also, Loggerhead
and Green sea turtle
s nest here.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
System, located in a region known as the 'Backcountry', which reaches from north of Marathon
Marathon, Florida
Marathon is a city on Knight's Key, Boot Key, Key Vaca, Fat Deer Key, Long Point Key, Crawl Key and Grassy Key islands in the middle Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 10,255. As of 2005, the population estimated...
to north of Key West
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
. It is along the north side of the Keys in that area that border the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The 130,187 acre (527 km2) refuge (6,207 acres (25 km2) of it land, 123,980 (502 km2) water) was established on October 27, 1938, as a haven for great white heron
Great White Heron
Great White Heron may refer to:* Great Blue Heron* Great Egret...
s, migratory birds, and other wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
Approximately 1,900 acres (8 km2) are designated as a National Wilderness Area. The refuge is administered as part of the National Key Deer Refuge
National Key Deer Refuge
The National Key Deer Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located on Big Pine Key and No Name Key in the Florida Keys in Monroe County, Florida....
.
Flora
The islands are covered mostly with mangrovesFlorida mangroves
The Florida mangroves comprise an ecosystem of the coasts of the Florida peninsula, including the Florida Keys. The Florida mangrove community includes three mangrove species, Red Mangrove , Black Mangrove and White Mangrove , and one species that is variously classified as a mangrove or a...
, though some of the larger islands contain pine rockland and tropical hardwood hammock
Tropical hardwood hammock
Tropical hardwood hammocks are closed canopy forests, dominated by a diverse assemblage of evergreen and semi-deciduous tree and shrub species, mostly of West Indian origin...
habitats.
Fauna
Hawksbill sea turtlesHawksbill turtle
The hawksbill sea turtle is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in its genus. The species has a worldwide distribution, with Atlantic and Pacific subspecies. E. imbricata imbricata is the Atlantic subspecies, while E...
have been known to feed in the refuge. Also, Loggerhead
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
The loggerhead sea turtle , or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to have been discovered...
and Green sea turtle
Green Sea Turtle
The Green sea turtle or green turtle is a large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus Chelonia. Its range extends throughout tropical and subtropical seas around the world, with two distinct populations in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
s nest here.