America's National Wildlife Refuges: A Complete Guide

Published for the 100th anniversary of the National Wildlife Refuge system in 2003, this guide describes each of the more than 530 refuges nationwide, their habitats, the species of birds and mammals to be found there, and general information about accessibility and facilities. In addition, former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Lynn Greenwalt provides a brief history of the refuge system, beginning with Theodore Roosevelt's establishment of the first wildlife refuge at Pelican Island, Florida in 1903. The book also discusses "proposed and possible" new refuges, threats to the refuges (such as the prospect of drilling for oil at the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska), and lists the nonprofit organizations that support the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in its management of the refuges. Ideal for the casual wildlife watcher or hunting enthusiast, America's National Wildlife Refuges will prove to be a worthy tribute to an American institution as it begins its second century.