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
Location in Delaware
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).