Richard Moore Outdoor Report: Refuge Birthday

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The National Wildlife Refuge System marks its 121st birthday on March 14, and it is a great time to visit your wildlife refuges in the Rio Grande Valley.

President Theodore Roosevelt in1903 established the first national wildlife refuge to protect Brown pelicans, and today’s system totals 560 refuges.

The Valley’s three national wildlife refuges encompass 221,088 acres in our four-county area.

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1946, is the largest totaling 115,000 acres. Situated east of Rio Hondo and home to elusive ocelots, the refuge also includes Bahia Grande where vast schools of redfish thrive and land north of the town of South Padre Island where endangered Ridley sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs.

Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1979, protects 104,000 acres on scattered properties including the historic Sal del Rey tract in Hidalgo County, and is a vital overwintering site for waterfowl and shorebirds.

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1943 and situated along the Rio Grande south of Alamo, is considered by many to be the gem of the wildlife refuge system where moss-draped riparian river woodlands provide sanctuary to myriad tropical species like the Green jay.

While the National Wildlife Refuge system encompasses less than seven percent of Rio Grande Valley's natural heritage, nine birding centers, and several state parks also provide habitat protection and outdoor recreation for its visitors.

A handful of other properties, such as the 557-acre Sabal Palm Sanctuary south of Brownsville also contribute to conservation efforts.

While federal and state agencies protect many vital properties, most wildlands remaining in Texas are in private hands, and working with landowners to manage their property to enhance wildlife is of paramount importance as evidenced in the recent Safe Harbor Agreement U.S. Fish and Wildlife has reached with the East Ranch, north of Port Mansfield, to protect endangered ocelots.