Waubay National Wildlife Refuge

The National Wildlife Refuge System, within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, manages a national network of lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife, and plants.

Following the establishment of Florida's Pelican Island as the first National Wildlife Refuge in 1903, the Refuge System has grown to encompass more than 565 National Wildlife Refuges spanning approximately 100 million acres of lands and 750 million acres of oceans in the United States. Refuges are home to more than 700 species of birds, 220 species of mammals, 250 reptile and amphibian species, and more than 200 species of fish. Fifty-nine Refuges have been established with a primary purpose of conserving threatened or endangered species.

More than 41 million people visit national wildlife refuges each year to participate in activities such as hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and photography, and to attend environmental education and interpretive programs. 

There is at least one National Wildlife Refuge in every state, and one within an hour's drive of most major cities — offering people a welcoming, safe, and accessible place to nourish their spirits and reconnect to the land.