| Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge |
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| CATEGORIES ABOUT DETROIT RIVER INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE | |
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The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is the only international Wildlife Refuge in North America . The refuge includes islands, coastal wetlands, marshes, shoals, and waterfront lands along 48 miles of the Detroit River and Western Lake Erie shoreline. Its location is unique, situated in the heart of a major metropolitan area. Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge is one of over 540 National Wildlife Refuge s managed by the U.S. Fish And Wildlife Service within the Department Of The Interior . The refuge was originally established in 1961, as the Wyandotte Refuge and consisted of two islands, Grassy and Mamajuda, and the shallow water shoals around the islands. On December 21 , 2001 , it was redesignated and expanded. The refuge owns the 465-acre riverside Humbug Marsh, the Brancheau Tract on Lake Erie and several islands in the Detroit River:
The refuge also owns the shoals around these islands. It also manages land for the U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers and for Detroit Edison , the local electricity company. Within the authorized purchase boundaries are several existing parks including Elizabeth Park, Sterling State Park , Lake Erie Metropark, Pointe Mouillee State Game Area and Erie State Game Area. The refuge attracts hundreds of thousands of migratory wildfowl, especially diving ducks, as well as tens of thousands of shorebirds. Birds stop here to feed on wild celery. Common duck species include Canvasback , Wood Duck s, Mallard s, Blue-winged Teal , Common Merganser , American Black and Scaup . Other birds occurring in the refuge include Canada Geese , Bald Eagle Ring-necked Pheasants , Bob-white Quail , Swallow s, Red-winged Blackbird s, Gull s, Tern s, Tundra Swan s, Trumpeter Swan s, American Woodcock , Common Loon s, and Belted Kingfisher s. Several species of mammals are found within the refuge ecosystem. Common species include Muskrat , Mink , Raccoon , Eastern Cottontail Rabbit , Woodchuck , Opossum , Striped Skunk , White-tailed Deer , Coyote , Gray Fox , Fox Squirrel , and several Mole and Mice species. The threatened Spotted Turtle was recorded in an inventory in 1997. The threatened Lake Sturgeon is thoought to have a small population in the refuge. More than 10 million Walleye , White Bass , Steelhead , and Salmon migrate through the Detroit River each year and attract many sport fishers to the refuge. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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