Protecting the Pacific: National Wildlife Refuges and Marine National Monuments
Monk seal relaxing on the beach of a National Wildlife Refuge in the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. The Service manages Papahānaumokuākea with our partners the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the State of Hawaii and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Photo credit Mark Sullivan/NOAA
Did you know that your national wildlife refuges form the backbone of four marine national monuments in the Pacific Ocean, including the world’s largest marine protected area, Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument?
With the expansion of Papahānaumokuākea, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now manages the largest system of lands and waters set aside for the conservation of wildlife and wild places - over 852 million acres.
Manta rays in the lagoon at Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge within the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Photo credit: USFWS
Convict fish swim above coral reef. Photo credit: James Watt/oceanstock.com
From coral reefs to deep sea mounts, abyssal plains and volcanic features, these wild, remote lands and waters stretch from the Marianas Trench to Midway Atoll. These refuges and monuments represent some of the last frontiers of scientific discovery and are a haven for wildlife.
USFWS biologist rescues a sea turtle, trapped in the remains of an old sea wall. Photo credit: USFWS
They protect:
Biologically diverse ecosystems and habitats for species ranging from seabirds and marine mammals to deep-sea species which include sponges, invertebrates, fish and colonies of coral that are many thousands of years old.
Millions and millions of seabirds of over 21 different species.
The largest Laysan albatross colony in the world.
Endangered species, including three species of sea turtle, three whale species, the Hawaiian monk seal, and the short-tailed albatross.
Cultural and historical resources found no where else in the world.
Derelict fishing gear and marine debris on the beach of a national wildlife refuge. Photo credit: Megan Nagel/USFWS
Without the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners, and the protection of the National Wildlife Refuge System and Marine National Monuments, many of these special places would have long been lost to human alteration or taken over by invasive plants and animals, pushing out the native species and wildlife that rely on these safe havens.
The Service and our monument co-managers, by working together, can provide an even greater impact for species and cultural resources throughout the Pacific.
Yellow crazy ants cover this red-tailed tropic bird, squirting acid into its eyes and disrupting its nesting at Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge. Photo credit: Stefan Kropidlowski/UFWS
NOAA divers work to remove marine debris within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Photo credit: NOAA
Some of the work we do includes:
Preventing and eradicating invasive species like the seabird harming yellow crazy ant, nesting habitat eliminating plant verbesina, and coral killing corallimorph.
Removing tons of marine debris from the beaches and waters of our Refuges and Monuments. Marine debris like plastics, trash, and discarded fishing gear can cause enormous problems for wildlife. You can debris find in nests, along the beaches, and often in the bellies of baby albatross.
Monitoring and banding seabirds.
Endangered species translocation - creating more secure populations of the Laysan duck.
Restoring native habitat and creating better nesting and wildlife habitat at atolls and islands.
USFWS biologist Meg Duhr-Schultz and volunteer Ann Humphrey band albatross chicks. Photo credit: USFWS
The National Wildlife Refuge System includes 565 national wildlife refuges, 38 wetland management districts, five national monuments, and two national memorials for which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible. The refuge systems stretches from the remote corners of the Pacific Ocean all the way to Puerto Rico, safeguarding America’s natural history. Nowhere else on Earth is there a model for conservation that rivals the United States’ network of public lands and waters, which includes our national wildlife refuges and marine national monuments.
Before and After: Verbesina is a fiercely invasive plant, choking out native plants and grasses and leaving no room for albatross to nest. The Service is working to eradicate verbesina from Midway Atoll and prevent it from spreading. Photo credit: Dan Clark/USFWS
More on:
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument
Hawaiian Island National Wildlife Refuge
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument
Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge
Howland Island National Wildlife Refuge
Johnston Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge
Palmyra National Wildlife Refuge
Wake Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
Rose Atoll Marine National Monument
Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
Mariana Trench Marine National Monument
Mariana Arc of Fire National Wildlife Refuge
Mariana Trench National Wildlife Refuge
This white tern chick is looking toward a bright future, thanks to the Service and our monument co-managers! Photo credit: Dan Clark/USFWS
