Guam National Wildlife Refuge

Coordinates: 13°39′2″N 144°51′38″E / 13.65056°N 144.86056°E / 13.65056; 144.86056
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Guam National Wildlife Refuge
Dededo, Guam / Yigo, Guam
Coordinates13°39′2″N 144°51′38″E / 13.65056°N 144.86056°E / 13.65056; 144.86056
Area23,659 acres (95.74 km2) total
23,288 acres (94.24 km2) land
371 acres (1.50 km2) reefs and ocean [1]
Established1993
Visitors90,000
Governing bodyDepartment of Defense 22,456 acres (90.88 km2); Fish and Wildlife Service 1,203 acres (4.87 km2)
WebsiteGuam National Wildlife Refuge

The Guam National Wildlife Refuge is composed of three units: the Andersen Air Force Base Overlay Unit (Air Force Overlay Unit), the Navy Overlay Unit, and the Ritidian Unit. The Ritidian Unit, known to the native CHamoru people as Puntan Litekyan, is located on the northern tip of Guam and encompasses approximately 1,217 acres, including 385 terrestrial acres and 832 acres of submerged areas offshore.

Description

Ritidian Unit

The endangered Mariana fruit bat or flying fox

The Ritidian Unit is at the far northern point of Guam and is the only unit open to the public. It was established in 1993, in response to the 1984 listing of six species as endangered, and was designated critical habitat in 2004 for three of these species: the Mariana fruit bat, the Guam Micronesian Kingfisher, and the Mariana crow. The Navy used the area as a high-security communications station throughout the Cold War and donated the 1,203 acres (4.87 km2) of land to the Fish and Wildlife Service in 1993. Guam's Delegate to Congress at that time,

USS Frank Cable continued the Navy connection by volunteering and creating a nature path for visitors.[3] The Ritidian Unit offices and beaches close to the public at 4 PM every day. They are also closed any time the Guam Homeland Security Office of Civil Defense issues a tropical cyclone condition of readiness 3, 2, or 1. Additionally, the beaches are closed to the public during tropical storm warnings issued by the National Weather Service.[4]

Ritidian Point contains the archaeological site of a pre-

Mariana common moorhen and Mariana crow.[6] The accidental introduction of the brown tree snake is considered the primary cause for the decline of native Guam bird species.[7]

Military overlay units

There are two additional units, one on

Okinawa
.

These units are largely forested and the main preservation initiative involves the

Marianas Islands and only one mature tree is known in Guam. Efforts to plant new seedlings have been coordinated through the University of Guam.[9]

Important Bird Area

Much of the refuge has been recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports populations of Mariana swiftlets, Guam rails, Mariana crows and Micronesian starlings, as well as containing habitat for Guam kingfishers.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Schwagerl, Joseph. "Guam National Wildlife Refuge". US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2012-02-21. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "Guam National Wildlife Refuge Under Fire". Bats Magazine. Winter 1993. Retrieved 2012-02-21. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. ^ Hensley, Corey (2011-04-08). "Frank Cable Celebrates Trail Dedication At Guam National Wildlife Refuge". United States Navy. Retrieved 2012-02-21. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ^ "Typhoons". Guam Homeland Security Office of Civil Defense. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  5. ^ Whitman, Frank (2007-06-03). "Ritidian Point: A gorgeous slice of tropical Guam". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  6. ^ Maxfield, Barbara (2009-07-22). "Guam National Wildlife Refuge Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan Released for Public Review and Comment" (PDF). US Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 2012-02-21. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ISBN 0-253-34366-6
  8. ^ "Welcome to Guam National Wildlife Refuge". US Fish and Wildlife Service. 2010-05-03. Retrieved 2012-02-21. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. ^ Serianthes nelsonii, poster by Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Guam
  10. ^ "Guam National Wildlife Refuge". BirdLife Data Zone. BirdLife International. 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.

External links

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