Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is an important US National Wildlife Refuge on the Atlantic coast of Florida.
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Location and extent
Merritt Island NWR is located due east of Titusville. It is on Merritt Island, a peninsula in Brevard County, Florida, and occupies 570 km² (140,000 acres). To the north, it borders on the Canaveral National Seashore; to the south, it borders on the Kennedy Space Center (with which it also shares some history), which in turn abuts Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Since public access to all these areas is controlled in various ways, the refuge is part of very substantial area of relatively undisturbed wildlife habitat.
History
The land occupied by the NWR was acquired by NASA in the early 1960s for the development of the Space Center but not required for operational purposes. Until that time there had been little development in the area because of the high numbers of salt marsh mosquitoes. Public access is normally permitted, and several state highways run across the refuge; however the public can be excluded if necessary for NASA's purposes (for example, this is currently done in the days before or of a space shuttle launch or landing).
Habitats and species
The refuge provides a range of habitats, from saltwater estuaries and freshwater impoundments and marshes, to dunes, hardwood hammocks, and scrub. It is therefore rich in species, and over 1000 species of plants, 117 species of fish, 68 amphibians and reptiles, 330 birds and 31 mammal species are listed. 21 of these species are listed as endangered either by the state of Florida or by the US federal government. The following are some of the more important species using the refuge; most of them nest there:
- Sea turtles including
- American Alligator
- Osprey
- Bald Eagle
- Many species of waterfowl use the refuge as a wintering ground; Blue-winged Teal and Northern Shoveler are resident
- Many species of shorebird, some resident and some using the refuge in the course of their migration
- Several species of rail
- Anhinga
- Several species of heron and egret
- Glossy Ibis and White Ibis
- Roseate Spoonbill (see Spoonbill)
- Florida Scrub Jay
- West Indian Manatee
Facilities
Subject to the needs of NASA, public access is relatively unrestricted, though it is only allowed during daylight hours; camping is only allowed for certain organised youth organizations.
The refuge provides hiking and driving trails for visitors, with excellent opportunities for observing wildlife without causing disturbance; most of the species listed above can be seen by a casual visitor. An observation deck is provided near the bridge that carries Florida State Highway 3 over the Haulover Canal, in the northern part of the refuge, since manatees frequently congregate there. Boating is permitted on the waters around and within the refuge, and provides another excellent opportunity for observing the wildlife; there are facilities for launching pleasure boats at several places. In addition the refuge includes, and gives access to the unspoilt Playalinda Beach on the outer barrier island. Fishing is generally permitted, and hunting for wildfowl is allowed on a strictly limited basis. There is a comprehensive Visitor Center.
Management
Water levels are controlled in most of the refuge, to conserve its wide range of habitats. Controlled fires are used regularly.
Merritt Island acts as an administrative centre for a number of other NWRs in central Florida, which are operated as satellites from it, including
- Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
- Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge
- St Johns National Wildlife Refuge
- Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
External link
- Official web site (http://merittisland.fws.gov)