Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Map showing the location of Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Map of the United States
Location Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, Zapata counties, Texas, United States
Nearest city La Feria, Texas
Coordinates 26°11′14″N 97°51′06″W / 26.18729°N 97.85166°W / 26.18729; -97.85166Coordinates: 26°11′14″N 97°51′06″W / 26.18729°N 97.85166°W / 26.18729; -97.85166[1]
Area 90,788 acres (367.41 km2)
Established 1979
Governing body U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge

The Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a 90,788-acre (367.41 km2)[2] National Wildlife Refuge located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley region of southern Texas.

It is along the northern banks and reaches of the Lower Rio Grande, north of the Mexico—United States international border.

Ecology

Only 5% of the native riparian, floodplain, and wetland habitats remain along the lower Rio Grande and its local tributaries. However, the diversity within these fragments adds up to a significant 1,200 species of native plants, 700 species of vertebrates (including nearly 500 bird species), and 300 species of butterflies. Eleven different biological communities exist on the National Wildlife Refuge, from the Chihuahuan Desert thorn forest to tidal wetlands.

Wildlife include the rare ocelot, northern caracara, Mexican bluewing butterfly (Myscelia ethusa), great kiskadee, red-billed pigeon, Altamira oriole, ringed kingfisher and green jay.

The refuge is designated as part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, a network of wildlife viewing sites throughout the Texas coastal regions.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "Annual Report of Lands Under Control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" (PDF). www.fws.gov. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. September 30, 2010. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Lower Texas Coast Wildlife Trail (LTC): Los Ranchos de Tejas Loop map". Texas Parks and Wildlife Division. Retrieved 22 Jan 2010.

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.


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