| Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)[1] | |
 Great blue heron at Prime Hook NWR | |
  Location in Delaware  Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge (the United States) | |
| Location | Sussex County, Delaware, Delaware, United States |
| Coordinates | 38°50′52″N 75°16′1″W / 38.84778°N 75.26694°W |
| Area | 15.6 sq mi (40 km2) |
| Established | 1963 |
| Visitors | Open daily in season |
| Website | Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge |
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a sanctuary for migratory birds located east of Milton, Delaware, United States. It was established by President John F. Kennedy[2] in 1963 on 10,000 acres (40 km2) along the western shore of Delaware Bay. The refuge contains a variety of habitats, including freshwater and salt marshes, woodlands, grasslands, ponds, and forested areas, supporting 267 species of birds and a variety of reptiles, amphibians and mammals.[3]
Fowler Beach, along the Eastern edge of the refuge, is an official sanctuary for horseshoe crabs, the state marine animal of Delaware and a "signature species" of the Delaware Bay Estuary.[4]
The refuge is open to the public for wildlife-oriented recreation. Facilities include walking trails, a canoe trail, a bird blind and other wildlife observation areas, and a visitor center.[5]
- ^ "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge". Protected Planet. IUCN. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
- ^ Smith, Stephen Kennedy and Brinkley, Douglas, JFK: A Vision for America (Harper 2017), pp. 444-445
- ^ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge: Welcome." 2011-01-03.
- ^ http://www.ecodelaware.com/place.php?id=360 "EcoDelaware.com: Fowler Beach, an official horseshoe crab sanctuary"
- ^ FWS (2004). "Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge." (Brochure).