Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)[1]
Great blue heron at Prime Hook NWR
Map showing the location of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Location in Delaware
Map showing the location of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Map showing the location of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge (the United States)
LocationSussex County, Delaware, Delaware, United States
Coordinates38°50′52″N 75°16′1″W / 38.84778°N 75.26694°W / 38.84778; -75.26694
Area15.6 sq mi (40 km2)
Established1963
VisitorsOpen daily in season
WebsitePrime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a sanctuary for migratory birds located east of Milton, Delaware, United States. It was established by President John F. Kennedy[2] in 1963 on 10,000 acres (40 km2) along the western shore of Delaware Bay. The refuge contains a variety of habitats, including freshwater and salt marshes, woodlands, grasslands, ponds, and forested areas, supporting 267 species of birds and a variety of reptiles, amphibians and mammals.[3]

Fowler Beach, along the Eastern edge of the refuge, is an official sanctuary for horseshoe crabs, the state marine animal of Delaware and a "signature species" of the Delaware Bay Estuary.[4]

The refuge is open to the public for wildlife-oriented recreation. Facilities include walking trails, a canoe trail, a bird blind and other wildlife observation areas, and a visitor center.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge". Protected Planet. IUCN. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  2. ^ Smith, Stephen Kennedy and Brinkley, Douglas, JFK: A Vision for America (Harper 2017), pp. 444-445
  3. ^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Welcome." 2011-01-03.
  4. ^ http://www.ecodelaware.com/place.php?id=360 "EcoDelaware.com: Fowler Beach, an official horseshoe crab sanctuary"
  5. ^ FWS (2004). "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge." (Brochure).