Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
Location | San Miguel County, New Mexico, USA |
Nearest city | Las Vegas, NM |
Coordinates | 35°30′30″N 105°10′02″W / 35.50833°N 105.16722°W |
Area | 8,672 acres (35.09 km2) |
Established | 1965 |
Governing body | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
Website | Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge |
With the Rocky Mountains to the west, the Great Plains to the east, and the Chihuahuan Desert to the south, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge encompasses a diversity of habitats. Located along the Central Flyway, the Refuge provides an important resting, feeding, and wintering area for migrating geese, ducks, and cranes.
Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge rests on a plateau in the foothills with the Rocky Mountains just beyond. River canyon walls drop below the refuge on three sides. Las Vegas (Spanish for "the meadows") preserves both wildlife habitats and a slice of New Mexico's rich cultural history.