The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a U.S. federal government agency within the U.S. Department of the Interior which oversees the management of fish,wildlife,and natural habitats in the United States. The mission of the agency is "working with others to conserve,protect,and enhance fish,wildlife,plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people."
National Wildlife RefugeSystem (NWRS) is a system of protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),an agency within the Department of the Interior. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish,wildlife,and plants. Since President Theodore Roosevelt designated Florida's Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge as the first wildlife refuge in 1903,the system has grown to over 568 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts encompassing about 856,000,000 acres (3,464,109 km2).
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 is the primary law in the United States for protecting and conserving imperiled species. Designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction as a "consequence of economic growth and development untempered by adequate concern and conservation",the ESA was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 28,1973. The Supreme Court of the United States described it as "the most comprehensive legislation for the preservation of endangered species enacted by any nation". The purposes of the ESA are two-fold:to prevent extinction and to recover species to the point where the law's protections are not needed. It therefore "protect[s] species and the ecosystems upon which they depend" through different mechanisms. For example,section 4 requires the agencies overseeing the Act to designate imperiled species as threatened or endangered. Section 9 prohibits unlawful ‘take,’of such species,which means to "harass,harm,hunt..." Section 7 directs federal agencies to use their authorities to help conserve listed species. The Act also serves as the enacting legislation to carry out the provisions outlined in The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Supreme Court found that "the plain intent of Congress in enacting" the ESA "was to halt and reverse the trend toward species extinction,whatever the cost." The Act is administered by two federal agencies,the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). FWS and NMFS have been delegated by the Act with the authority to promulgate any rules and guidelines within the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to implement its provisions.
The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is located in southern New Mexico. It was founded in 1939 and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Piro people lived in the lands around what is now the refuge until the 1600s,when they were forced to abandon their pueblos due to European diseases and attacks from the Apache tribes. It is a favorite spot to watch the migration of the sandhill cranes in the fall. The reserve is open year-round and provides safe harbor for its varied wildlife. Visitors to the refuge also enjoy partaking in activites such as hiking,cycling,driving tours on the 12-mile scenic auto route,and participating in educational programs offered at the park.
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge in south central Kansas,United States,includes rare inland marshes. Located near the town of Stafford,it lies mostly in northeastern Stafford County,but small parts extend into southwestern Rice and northwestern Reno Counties. Its proximity to the Central Flyway migration route and the salt marshes on the refuge combine to endow the refuge with a large variety of birds. Many of these birds are uncommon in other parts of Kansas or even the central part of the continent.
The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge is a 145,188-acre (587.55 km2) wildlife sanctuary is located west of Boynton Beach,in Palm Beach County,Florida. It is also known as Water Conservation Area 1 (WCA-1). It includes the most northern remnant of the historic Everglades wetland ecosystem.
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge,located in southwestern Oklahoma near Lawton,has protected unique wildlife habitats since 1901 and is the oldest managed wildlife facility in the United States Fish and Wildlife Service system. The refuge's location in the geologically unique Wichita Mountains and its areas of undisturbed mixed grass prairie make it an important conservation area. The Wichita Mountains are approximately 500 million years old. Measuring about 59,020 acres (238.8 km2),the refuge hosts a great diversity of species:806 plant species,240 species of birds,36 fish,and 64 reptiles and amphibians are present.
Defenders of Wildlife is a 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization based in the United States. It works to protect all native animals and plants throughout North America in their natural communities.
Wolf reintroduction involves the reintroduction of a portion of grey wolves in areas where native wolves have been extirpated. More than 30 subspecies of Canis lupus have been recognized,and grey wolves,as colloquially understood,comprise nondomestic/feral subspecies. Reintroduction is only considered where large tracts of suitable wilderness still exist and where certain prey species are abundant enough to support a predetermined wolf population.
The St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System,located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Apalachicola,on the barrier island of St. Vincent. The refuge includes Pig Island,located in the southwest corner of St. Joseph Bay,nearly 9 miles west of St. Vincent and 86 acres of mainland Florida along Franklin County Road 30A. The 12,490 acre (51 km2) refuge was established in 1968.
Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Complex is an administrative unit of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service which oversees National Wildlife Refuges in Puerto Rico,the U.S. Virgin Islands,and Navassa Island of the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. The NWR complex also manages the reintroduction of the critically endangered Puerto Rican parrot into the wild.
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future,either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss,poaching,and invasive species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species,and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which,for example,forbid hunting,restrict land development,or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.
Mollie H. Beattie was an American conservationist and government official who served as director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2009,she was designated a Women's History Month Honoree by the National Women's History Project.
James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge on the island of Oʻahu,Hawaii. It was established in 1976 to permanently protect an ecologically-intact unit and to provide habitat for native and migratory fauna and native flora. It established critical habitat for Hawaii's four endangered waterbirds,the ʻalae kea,koloa maoli,ʻalae ʻula,and āeʻo and many migratory seabirds,endangered and native plant species,and the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and green sea turtle. It also provides increased wildlife-dependent public uses and flood control within the refuge and the local community.
The Sayville National Wildlife Refuge is a 127-acre (51 ha) National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) located in West Sayville,New York about two miles (3.2 km) inland from the Great South Bay. Sayville NWR is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a sub-unit of Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge and part of the Long Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex. It is the only land-locked refuge in the complex.
Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1989 to protect and enhance wooded wetlands consisting of bottomland hardwoods and swamps with high waterfowl value along the Roanoke River. The extensive bottomland hardwood habitat of the Roanoke River National Wildlife Refuge is part of what the Nature Conservancy calls "one of the last great places."
The Delevan National Wildlife Refuge is one of six refuges in the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex in the Sacramento Valley of central northern California.
The Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge is a 2,553-acre (10.33 km2) protected area located along the Central Coast of California,in southern San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara Counties.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement contributes to Service efforts to manage ecosystems,save endangered species,conserve migratory birds,preserve wildlife habitat,restore fisheries,combat invasive species,and promote international wildlife conservation. It is an office of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS).
