Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Location	Chambers County, Texas, United States
Nearest city	Anahuac, Texas
Coordinates	29°34′0″N 94°28′0″W / 29.56667°N 94.46667°W / 29.56667; -94.46667Coordinates: 29°34′0″N 94°28′0″W / 29.56667°N 94.46667°W / 29.56667; -94.46667
Area	34,000 acres or 140 km2
Governing body	United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

Anahuac NWR entrance sign

Headquarters

The Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is a wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas (USA), west of the town of High Island, Texas. It borders East Bay, part of the Galveston Bay complex, behind Bolivar Peninsula at the Gulf of Mexico.

Established in 1963, this wildlife refuge is located on the upper Texas Coast in Chambers County.^[1] The refuge protects approximately 34,000 acres (140 km²)^[1] of coastal marsh and prairies. The refuge offers opportunities for fishing, waterfowl hunting, paddling, and wildlife viewing. A large network of volunteers contributes thousands of hours in support of the refuge.

In the winter, the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge hosts large concentrations of waterfowl making it a popular site for public hunting.

Other signature species are American alligator, bobcat, yellow rail, and purple gallinule.

Birdwatchers find the refuge an excellent place to observe neotropical migrants in the spring and fall. Other species sought by birdwatchers include American bittern, seaside sparrow, fulvous whistling-duck, and black rail.

Volunteers have been working to compile a butterfly list for the refuge. Over sixty species have been identified, including the extremely localized bay skipper (Euphyes bayensis).

Recent projects to enhance and restore the habitat at the refuge include control of invasive species like Chinese Tallow, prairie restoration, creation of moist soil areas, and a colonial waterbird rookery.^[1]

Three other national wildlife refuges on the Texas coast - Brazoria, San Bernard and Big Boggy - form a vital complex of coastal wetlands harboring more than 300 bird species.^[2]

Snow geese flying in the refuge

Anahuac NWR is one of more than 560 refuges that comprise the U.S. National Wildlife Refuge System, a national network of lands and waters set aside for the benefit of wildlife. It has been designated as a site of international importance^[3] to shorebirds by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN).^[4] The refuge is designated as part of the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, a network of trails and wildlife viewing sites established by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

See also

• Wildlife refuge

Notes

References

• FWS (September 2008). "Anahuac Refuge". FWS.gov. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-20. 

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.

• Friends of Anahuac Refuge.
• USFWS Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge.

Galveston Bay Area
History
Large cities	Baytown Pasadena
Other cities	Anahuac Beach City Clear Lake Shores Dickinson El Lago Deer Park Friendswood Kemah La Marque La Porte League City Nassau Bay Morgan's Point Seabrook Shoreacres Taylor Lake Village Texas City Webster
CDPs and non- municipalities	Bacliff Bayview Clear Lake City (part of Houston/Pasadena) Double Bayou San Leon Smith Point
Counties	Chambers Galveston Harris
Subregions	Pasadena/Baytown Clear Lake Area Texas City/La Marque Chambers County
Bodies of water	Armand Bayou Cedar Bayou Clear Creek Clear Lake Dickinson Bay Galveston Bay Lake Anahuac Moses Lake San Jacinto River Taylor Lake Trinity Bay Trinity River
Major ports	Barbours Cut Bayport Texas City
Nature preserves	Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge Armand Bayou Nature Center Baytown Nature Center Pine Gully Park Texas City Prairie Preserve