Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}{{Short description|National Wildlife Refuge near Harlingen, Texas}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge

| iucn_category = IV

| map = Texas

| relief = yes

| map_width = 240

| map_caption = Map of Texas

| location = Cameron / Willacy counties, Texas, United States

| nearest_city = Harlingen, Texas

| coordinates = {{coord|26|17|01|N|97|23|06|W|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| area_acre = 120,000

| area_ref = Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, [https://www.fws.gov/refuge/laguna-atascosa/about-us About Us]. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved January 20, 2024.

| established = March 29, 1946

| visitation_num = +200,000{{cn|date=May 2024}}

| visitation_year = 2003

| governing_body = United States Fish and Wildlife Service

| website = [https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Laguna_Atascosa/ Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge]

}}

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge is the largest protected area of natural habitat left in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. The {{Convert|120,000|acre|adj=mid}} refuge is located almost entirely in Cameron County, Texas, {{cvt|25|mi}} east of Harlingen, although a very small part of its northernmost point extends into southern Willacy County.{{Cite web |title=Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge {{!}} Map |url=https://www.fws.gov/refuge/laguna-atascosa/map |access-date=2022-04-11 |website=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service}}

History

{{expand section|How did the Laguna Atascosa area become a wildlife refuge? What were the forces and legislation that created it?|date=January 2024|period=no}}

The Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge was created following World War II in 1946 to protect habitat for migratory birds and waterfowl, specifically redhead ducks (Aythya americana).{{cite web |date=2003-05-07 |title=Texas GEMS - Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (LANWR) |url=http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/conservation/txgems/laguatas/index.phtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125233729/http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/water/conservation/txgems/laguatas/index.phtml |archive-date=2010-01-25 |access-date=2009-12-29 |work=Texas Gulf Ecological Management Sites |publisher=Texas Parks and Wildlife Department}}

By 2010, it had grown to encompass a total of {{cvt|65096|acre}} in a landscape of "an interspersed pattern of meandering resacas (oxbow lakes), lomas (brush-covered sand/clay dunes), coastal prairies, and wetlands."

File:Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas.jpg) with tracking collar, Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge]]

In January 2024, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced a proposal to add {{cvt|477|acre|km2}} to the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge via a swap of land currently owned by SpaceX, in order to allow SpaceX to become the owner of {{cvt|43|acre}} of Boca Chica State Park land to expand their existing rocket launch facility at SpaceX Starbase.{{Cite web |last=Reagan |first=Mark |date=2024-01-17 |title=TPWD to consider land swap with SpaceX at Boca Chica |url=https://myrgv.com/local-news/2024/01/17/tpwd-to-consider-land-swap-with-spacex-at-boca-chica/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240316232259/https://myrgv.com/local-news/2024/01/17/tpwd-to-consider-land-swap-with-spacex-at-boca-chica/ |archive-date=March 16, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-03 |website=MyRGV.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Masso |first=Steven |date=2024-01-17 |title=SpaceX requests 43 acres of Boca Chica State Park from Texas |url=https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/spacex-requests-43-acres-of-boca-chica-state-park-from-texas/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320211206/https://www.valleycentral.com/news/local-news/spacex-requests-43-acres-of-boca-chica-state-park-from-texas/ |archive-date=March 20, 2024 |access-date=2024-05-03 |website=KVEO-TV |language=en-US}}

Fauna

The Peregrine Fund began reintroducing captive-bred northern aplomado falcons (Falco femoralis septentrionalis) to the refuge in 1985, which had been nearly extirpated from the Southwestern United States; by 2009, it was home to 26 pair.{{original research inline|date=January 2024}}

Nine other endangered or threatened species inhabit the refuge, such as the Texas ocelot (Leopardus pardalis albescens) and (formerly) the Gulf Coast jaguarundi (Herpailurus yagouaroundi), rare wild cats.{{cite web |date=August 12, 2009 |title=Endangered Species |url=http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/STRC/laguna/Endangered%20Species_Laguna.html |url-status=dead |access-date=2009-12-29 |work=Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge |publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216081056/http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/STRC/laguna/Endangered%20Species_Laguna.html |archive-date=February 16, 2010 }}

File:Spanish Dagger (Yucca treculeana), Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Cameron County, Texas, USA (12 April 2016).jpg) at Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (April 12, 2016)]]

Botany and ecology

Programs at the refuge include vegetation and wetland restoration.{{cite web |date=2009 |title=Management |url=http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/STRC/laguna/Management_Laguna.html |url-status=dead |access-date=2009-12-29 |work=Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge |publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216081112/http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/STRC/laguna/Management_Laguna.html |archive-date=February 16, 2010 }}