Havasu National Wildlife Refuge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Location in the United States
Location	Mohave County, Arizona / San Bernardino County, California, U.S.
Nearest city	Needles, California
Area	37,515 acres (151.82 km2)
Established	1941
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge is a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge on the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California. It preserves habitat for desert bighorn sheep, the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, and other animals. The refuge protects 30 river miles - 300 miles (480 km) of shoreline - from Needles, California, to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. One of the last remaining natural stretches of the lower Colorado River flows through the 20-mile-long (32 km) Topock Gorge.

Species

Animal species that inhabit this refuge include peregrine falcon, coyote, fox, desert bighorn sheep, greater roadrunner, bobcat, and cougar. Thousands of bats emerge from historic mines and razorback suckers swim in the back of Beal Lake.

Support

A large river in a dry, hot land attracts wildlife and people like a powerful magnet. Many thousands of visitors annually flock to the refuge to boat through the Topock Gorge, watch waterbirds in Topock Marsh, or hike to the Havasu Wilderness Area.

A non-profit membership organization supports and advocates for the refuge. It assists refuge staff with several of the refuge annual events, help to obtain grants to support refuge projects, conducts fund-raising activities to support environmental education programs, and helps the United States Fish and Wildlife Service operate and maintain the refuge facilities and programs by providing volunteer labor.

Locations

Five Mile Landing

To aid visitors to the Colorado River, The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has allowed a private contractor to operate a boat, canoe, campsite, RV site, and a store in the refuge at Five-Mile Landing, a 35-acre (14 ha) site with boat ramps at Topock Marsh in the northern part of the refuge.

Topock Marsh

The Topock Marsh is one of the larger birding sites found in the Lower Colorado River Valley, between Hoover Dam and the Colorado River Delta.

Catfish Paradise

Catfish Paradise is an area located at the southern end of the Topock Marsh. Many species living in the area include Bullfrogs, Carp, Sunfish, Catfish (Channel), Crappie, Largemouth Bass, and Tilapia.