San Juan Wilderness
Encyclopedia
San Juan Wilderness is a 353 acres (1.4 km²) wilderness area located in the San Juan Archipelago in northwestern Washington, United States. The wilderness designation protects 81 of the 83 islands that make up the San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
scattered over 650 square miles (1,683.5 km²).
, cormorant
, guillemot
, puffin
, brant
, oyster catcher, killdeer
, auklet, bald eagle
, and harbor seal
.
An estimated 200 species of birds visit the islands each year. Harbor seals and whales are common in surrounding water and black brant
have historically used the kelp beds for winter feeding.
, which is accessed by a cove with a dock. Matia Island boasts a 5 acre (0.0202343 km²) campground and a trailhead to the 1 miles (1.6 km) trail through the wilderness.
San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge
The San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge is located in the San Juan Islands of northern Puget Sound in the State of Washington. Originally created in 1976, it consists of 83 uninhabited small islands, with a combined area of approximately , scattered throughout the San Juans. The Refuge is...
scattered over 650 square miles (1,683.5 km²).
Wildlife
The San Juan Wilderness provides sanctuary for a large variety of animals including species of gullGull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
, cormorant
Cormorant
The bird family Phalacrocoracidae is represented by some 40 species of cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed recently, and the number of genera is disputed.- Names :...
, guillemot
Guillemot
Guillemots is the common name for several species of seabird in the auk family . In British use, the term comprises two genera: Uria and Cepphus. In North America the Uria species are called "murres" and only the Cepphus species are called "guillemots"...
, puffin
Puffin
Puffins are any of three small species of auk in the bird genus Fratercula with a brightly coloured beak during the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among...
, brant
Brent Goose
The Brant or Brent Goose, Branta bernicla, is a species of goose of the genus Branta. The Black Brant is an American subspecies. The specific descriptor bernicla is from the same source as "barnacle" in Barnacle Goose, which looks similar but is not a close relation.-Appearance:The Brant Goose is...
, oyster catcher, killdeer
Killdeer
The Killdeer is a medium-sized plover.Adults have a brown back and wings, a white belly, and a white breast with two black bands. The rump is tawny orange. The face and cap are brown with a white forehead. They have an orange-red eyering...
, auklet, 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...
, and harbor seal
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
.
An estimated 200 species of birds visit the islands each year. Harbor seals and whales are common in surrounding water and black brant
Black Brant
The Black Brant or Pacific Brent Goose, Branta bernicla nigricans, is a sub-species of the Brent Goose that breeds in Alaska and winters in Baja California. There are an estimated 115,000 black brant in the world and about 14,000 are taken each year by hunters. Fox predation of eggs is thought to...
have historically used the kelp beds for winter feeding.
Recreation
Recreation in San Juan Wilderness is limited to wildlife watching from afar. Boaters are requested to stay 200 yards from wilderness when observing wildlife. Public entry to the designated land is not permitted, with the exception of Matia IslandMatia Island
Matia Island is an island in the San Juan Islands of the U.S. state of Washington. The Island's entire 145 acres comes under the protection of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is cooperatively managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. Matia Island is actually a...
, which is accessed by a cove with a dock. Matia Island boasts a 5 acre (0.0202343 km²) campground and a trailhead to the 1 miles (1.6 km) trail through the wilderness.
See also
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
- List of National Wildlife Refuges
- Puget SoundPuget SoundPuget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
External links
- San Juan Wilderness - Wilderness.net
- San Juan Islands NWR - US Fish & Wildlife Service