Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge Location in the United States
Location	Volusia / Lake counties, Florida, United States
Nearest city	DeLeon Springs, Florida
Area	21,574 acres (87 km2)
Established	1964
Governing body	US Fish & Wildlife Service
Website	Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge

The Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge is a special place in central Florida. It's part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System. You can find it about 25 miles west of Daytona Beach. It's near DeLeon Springs, right off U.S. Highway 17.

What is Lake Woodruff Refuge?

This refuge opened in 1964. Its main goal is to provide a safe home for birds. Many birds stop here when they are migrating. Others stay here during the winter.

The refuge has a lot of water. It includes many marshes and swamps. Today, there are over 30,000 acres of water. This helps many different animals and plants to live here.

Things to Do

Visitors can enjoy many activities at the refuge. You can go boating, hiking, and watch for wildlife. Boating is the best way to see most of the refuge. People also work to manage the water. This makes sure the right plants grow for the animals. Special officers are also there to protect all the animals and plants.

Lake Woodruff Wilderness Area

A special part of the refuge is the Lake Woodruff Wilderness Area. This area covers about 1,066 acres. That's almost 5% of the whole refuge! Here, you can find animals like alligators, bald eagles, and limpkins. Sometimes, people are allowed to hunt deer here. But this hunting is carefully managed to keep the deer population healthy.

Wildlife at the Refuge

Lake Woodruff is home to many amazing creatures. Over 215 types of birds live here. Some of these birds are rare or endangered. This means they need extra protection to survive.

In 2011, scientists studied the refuge. They found 22 types of amphibians. They also found 50 types of reptiles. This study helps us understand how animal numbers change in the Florida ecosystem.

Protecting Animals

The refuge also has special water areas for manatees. These gentle giants use these spots to have their babies. Volunteers at the refuge are very important. They help count the animals. They also work to make sure animal homes are healthy.

Many ducks spend the winter at the refuge. They come here to escape colder weather. In 1988, a dry period affected the ducks' nests. The refuge makes sure there are at least 450 acres of water plants for the ducks to eat.

Images for kids

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  Young American Alligator preying on an American Bullfrog.