Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
The Matlacha Pass National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States
National Wildlife Refuge
System, located within the Matlacha Pass estuary, approximately 8 miles northwest of Cape Coral
, Florida
. The 538 acre (2.2 km2) refuge was established on September 26, 1908. It is administered as part of the J.N. 'Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge
Complex.
), black mangrove (Avicennia germinans
), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa
), buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) and cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto
). Also found in the area are tropical species such as seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera
), Florida strangler fig (Ficus aurea
) and gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba
).
, American crocodile
, eastern indigo snake
, wood stork
and bald eagle
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge is a designation for certain protected areas of the United States managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is the world's premiere system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve America's fish, wildlife and plants...
System, located within the Matlacha Pass estuary, approximately 8 miles northwest of Cape Coral
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral is a municipality located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a master-planned, pre-platted community, the city grew to a population of 154,305 by the year 2010. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. The 538 acre (2.2 km2) refuge was established on September 26, 1908. It is administered as part of the J.N. 'Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge
J.N. 'Ding' Darling National Wildlife Refuge
The J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in southwestern Florida, on Sanibel Island in the Gulf of Mexico. It is named for the cartoonist Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling....
Complex.
Flora
Trees that can be seen here include red mangrove (Rhizophora mangleRhizophora mangle
Rhizophora mangle, known as the red mangrove, is distributed in estuarine ecosystems throughout the tropics. Its viviparous "seeds," in actuality called propagules, become fully mature plants before dropping off the parent tree...
), black mangrove (Avicennia germinans
Avicennia germinans
Avicennia germinans, commonly known as the black mangrove, is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family, Acanthaceae.A. germinans grows in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, on both Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and on the Atlantic coast of tropical Africa, where it thrives...
), white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa
Laguncularia racemosa
Laguncularia racemosa is a species of flowering plant in the leadwood tree family, Combretaceae...
), buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus) and cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto, also known as cabbage palm, palmetto, cabbage palmetto, palmetto palm, blue palmetto, Carolina palmetto, common palmetto, swamp cabbage and sabal palm, is one of 15 species of palmetto palm . It is native to the southeastern United States, Cuba, and the Bahamas...
). Also found in the area are tropical species such as seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera
Coccoloba uvifera
Coccoloba uvifera is a species of flowering plant in the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae, that is native to coastal beaches throughout tropical America and the Caribbean, including southern Florida, the Bahamas, Barbados and Bermuda...
), Florida strangler fig (Ficus aurea
Ficus aurea
Ficus aurea, commonly known as the Florida strangler fig , golden fig, or higuerón, is a tree in the family Moraceae that is native to the U.S. state of Florida, the northern and western Caribbean, southern Mexico and Central America south to Panama...
) and gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba, commonly known as the Gumbo-limbo, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas from the southeasternmost United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil and Venezuela...
).
Fauna
Some of the threatened or endangered animal species which make the refuge home are the West Indian ManateeWest Indian Manatee
The West Indian Manatee is a manatee, and the largest surviving member of the aquatic mammal order Sirenia . The West Indian Manatee, Trichechus manatus, is a species distinct from the Amazonian Manatee, T. inunguis, and the West African Manatee, T. senegalensis...
, American crocodile
American Crocodile
The American crocodile is a species of crocodilian found in the Neotropics. It is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas. Populations occur from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico to South America as far as Peru and Venezuela. It also lives...
, eastern indigo snake
Drymarchon
Indigo snakes are a genus of large non-venomous colubrid snakes found in Southeastern United States, Central America, and South America. Three to four species are currently recognized.-Description:...
, wood stork
Wood Stork
The Wood Stork is a large American wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It was formerly called the "Wood Ibis", though it is not really an ibis.-Appearance:...
and bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
.