Innoko National Wildlife Refuge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Innoko National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Kaiyuh Flats
Innoko National Wildlife Refuge Location in Alaska
Location	Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States
Nearest city	McGrath, Alaska
Area	3,850,481 acres (15,582.34 km2)
Established	December 2, 1980
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Website	Innoko NWR

The Innoko National Wildlife Refuge is a huge protected area in western Alaska, United States. It's like a giant natural park, covering over 3.8 million acres! That's bigger than some small countries. This refuge is a safe home for many amazing animals and plants. It's the fifth-largest national wildlife refuge in the entire United States.

What is a National Wildlife Refuge?

A national wildlife refuge is a special place set aside by the U.S. government. Its main goal is to protect wild animals and their homes. The Innoko Refuge was created on December 2, 1980. This happened because of a law called the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. This law helped protect many wild places in Alaska.

A Wilderness Area

A big part of the Innoko Refuge, about 1.2 million acres, is also a wilderness area. This means it's kept as wild as possible. There are no roads, buildings, or human activities allowed here. It's truly a place where nature rules.

Where is the Innoko Refuge?

The Innoko National Wildlife Refuge is located in a remote part of Alaska. It's managed by offices in a town called Galena. The refuge is split into two main parts:

• Kaiyuh Flats: This northern part is next to the Yukon River. It covers about 751,000 acres.
• Innoko River Area: This southern part is much larger, covering about 3 million acres. It surrounds the Innoko River. This area is often swampy, making it a perfect spot for many birds.

Amazing Animals of Innoko

The Innoko Refuge is a busy place for wildlife. It's especially important for birds, with hundreds of thousands of them nesting here.

Birds of Innoko

You can spot many different kinds of birds in the refuge, including:

• Ospreys, which are large fishing hawks.
• Northern hawk-owls, a type of owl active during the day.
• Giant trumpeter swans.
• Majestic bald eagles, the national bird of the U.S.
• Smart common ravens.
• Short-eared owls, often seen flying low over fields.
• And powerful red-tailed hawks.

Mammals of Innoko

The refuge is also home to many different mammals. Some of the animals you might find here include:

• Large brown bears and smaller black bears.
• Huge moose with their impressive antlers.
• Packs of wolves.
• Sleek Canadian lynx.
• Clever marten.
• Spiky porcupines.
• Busy beavers.
• Herds of caribou.
• Playful river otters.
• Quick red foxes.
• Strong wolverines.
• And furry muskrats and mink.

Getting There

The Innoko National Wildlife Refuge is very wild and remote. There are no roads that lead into or through the refuge. If you want to visit, you would need to arrange air travel. The closest place to do this is from the town of McGrath, Alaska.

Gallery

• 

  Mountains

• 

  River

• 

  Wetlands

• 

  Aerial view