Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge

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Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Location	Nebraska, USA
Nearest city	Valentine, NE
Coordinates	42°52′41″N 100°26′54″W / 42.87806, -100.44833
Area	19,131 acres (77.42 km²)
Established	January 11, 1912
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of Nebraska and includes 19,131 acres (77.42 km²). The refuge borders the Niobrara National Scenic River on the west and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. From 1879 to 1906, the Fort Niobrara Military Reservation was located on what later became refuge lands to house a garrison of the U.S. Cavalry. After the fort was closed, the effort to preserve the region as a wildlife refuge culminated in the creation of the refuge on January 11, 1912. The refuge also manages Valentine and John and Louise Seier National Wildlife Refuges as parts of the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

Fort Niobrara NWR is located along the banks of the Niobrara River in Cherry County. The river has eroded into the limestone, creating cliffs and a varied topography. This unusual alteration to the otherwise relatively featureless great plains presents a unique habitat that fosters numerous plant and animal species. Over 230 species of birds have been documented, along with a 350 Bison and a small herd of elk (wapiti) that have been restored to the refuge in an effort to repopulate the region with original animal species.

[edit] External links

• Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved on 2006-08-16.
• Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. Recreation.gov. Retrieved on 2006-08-16.

v • d • e Protected Areas of the State of Nebraska Federal National Monuments: Agate Fossil Beds • Homestead • Scotts Bluff National Historic Trails: California Trail • Lewis & Clark Trail • Mormon Trail • Oregon Trail • Pony Express Trail National Recreation Areas: Pine Ridge National Wildlife Refuges: Boyer Chute • Crescent Lake • DeSoto • Fort Niobrara • John and Louise Seier • North Platte • Rainwater Basin • Valentine National Forests: Nebraska • Samuel R. McKelvie National Grasslands: Oglala National Wilderness: Fort Niobrara • Soldier Creek Wild and Scenic Rivers: Missouri • Niobrara State State Parks: Chadron • Eugene T. Mahoney • Fort Robinson • Indian Cave • Niobrara • Platte River • Ponca • Smith Falls State Historical Parks: Ashfall Fossil Beds • Ash Hollow • Arbor Lodge • Bowring Ranch • Buffalo Bill Ranch • Champion Mills • Fort Atkinson • Fort Hartsuff • Fort Kearny • Rock Creek Station State Recreation Areas: Alexandria • Arnold • Atkinson Lake • Blue River • Bluestem • Bowman Lake • Box Butte Reservoir • Branched Oak • Bridgeport • Brownville • Buffalo Bill Ranch •Calamus • Champion Lake • Cheyenne • Conestoga • Cottonmill • Crystal Lake • Dead Timber • DLD • Enders Reservoir • Fort Kearny • Fremont Lakes • Gallagher Canyon • Johnson Lake • Keller Park • Lake Maloney • Lake McConaughy • Lake Minatare • Lake Ogallala • Lewis and Clark • Long Lake • Long Pine • Louisville • Medicine Creek • Memphis • Merritt Reservoir • Mormon Island • North Loup • Olive Creek • Oliver Reservoir • Pawnee Lake • Pelican Point • Pibel Lake • Pioneer • Red Willow Reservoir • Riverview Marina • Rock Creek Lake • Rock Creek Station • Rockford • Sandy Channel • Schramm Park • Sherman Reservoir • Stagecoach • Summit Lake • Sutherland Reservoir • Swanson Reservoir • Two Rivers • Union Pacific • Verdon • Victoria Springs • Wagon Train • Walgren Lake • War Axe • Wildcat Hills • Willow Creek • Windmill State Recreation Trails: Cowboy Trail Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (web)