Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is an inviolate sanctuary expressly 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]
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge | |
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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) | |
Location | Sussex County, Delaware, Delaware, United States |
Coordinates | 38°50′52″N 75°16′1″W |
Area | 15.6 sq mi (40 km2) |
Established | 1963 |
Visitors | Open daily in season |
Website | Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge |
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]
References
- "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge". Protected Planet. IUCN. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- Smith, Stephen Kennedy and Brinkley, Douglas, JFK: A Vision for America (Harper 2017), pp. 444-445
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Welcome." 2011-01-03.
- http://www.ecodelaware.com/place.php?id=360 "EcoDelaware.com: Fowler Beach, an official horseshoe crab sanctuary"
- FWS (2004). "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge." (Brochure).
External links
- Prime Hook NWR - Official site