Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge
Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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Map of Alaska, United States
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Location | Alaska, United States |
Nearest city | Northway, Alaska / Beaver Creek, Yukon |
Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[1] |
Area | 700,058 acres (2,833.03 km2) |
Established | 1980 |
Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
http://tetlin.fws.gov/ |
Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge is a dynamic landscape made up of forests, wetlands, tundra, lakes, mountains and glacial rivers bounded by the snowy peaks of the Alaska Range. This upper Tanana River valley has been called the "Tetlin Passage," because it serves as a major migratory route for birds traveling to and from Canada, the lower 48 and both Central and South America. Many of these birds breed and nest on the refuge. Others pass through on their way to breeding and nesting grounds elsewhere in the state. Migrants, including ducks, geese, swans, cranes, raptors and songbirds, begin arriving in the valley in April, and continue into early June. An estimated 116 species breed on Tetlin during the short summer, when long days and warm temperatures accelerate the growth of plants, insects and other invertebrates, providing a ready source of rich foods for nesting birds.
Tetlin Refuge also supports a variety of large mammals. Dall sheep dot the higher slopes while moose feed upon the tender new growth that springs up in the wake of frequent lightning caused fires. Wolves, grizzly and black bears and members of three different caribou herds range over the refuge.
Two of the six known humpback whitefish spawning areas in the Yukon River drainage are located within the refuge. Along with caribou and moose, these fish are important subsistence resources for area residents. Arctic grayling, northern pike and burbot are also found in the refuge's many streams and lakes.
The refuge has a surface area of 700,058 acres (2,833.03 km2),[2] and is one of the larger (currently #18) National Wildlife Refuges in the United States, although, perhaps surprisingly, also the second-smallest of the sixteen in Alaska.
See also
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References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ USFWS Annual Lands Report, 30 September 2007
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
- IUCN Category IV
- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska
- Protected areas of Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska
- Protected areas of Valdez–Cordova Census Area, Alaska
- Wetlands of Alaska
- Landforms of Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska
- Landforms of Valdez–Cordova Census Area, Alaska