Patuxent Wildlife Research Center facts for kids
The Patuxent Wildlife Research Center is a special place in Maryland where scientists study animals and nature. It's one of 17 research centers in the United States run by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This center is located on a huge piece of land called the Patuxent Research Refuge, which is about 12,841 acres (52 km²) big. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It's the only National Wildlife Refuge that focuses on helping wildlife research.
What the Center Does
Since 1936, the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center has been a top place for studying wildlife. Scientists here learn about animals and their homes. They share what they find with people who manage America's natural resources. This helps improve how we take care of nature.
Patuxent scientists have made many important discoveries. They've learned a lot about migratory birds, which are birds that travel long distances. They also study amphibians and other birds. The center looks at how many animals are in a group. They also study waterfowl hunting and how to manage animal homes.
They work on wetlands, which are areas like swamps or marshes. They also study coastal zones and flood plains. Scientists here look at how pollution affects animals. They help protect endangered species, which are animals close to disappearing. They also study urban wildlife (animals living in cities).
The center helps manage ecosystems, which are all the living and non-living things in an area. They also help manage national parks and wildlife refuges.
The center runs programs to count and watch animals across the country. They are in charge of the North American Bird Banding Program. This program puts small bands on birds' legs to track them. The center shares its scientific findings and information. This information is used all over the world to manage nature.
The center wants to keep leading the way in wildlife research. They want to keep finding, explaining, and sharing scientific information. This information helps manage America's natural resources better. They work closely with the United States Department of the Interior and other groups. Today, they use new ways to manage nature. This includes working with many different groups. They also use modern technology to share information.
The Patuxent Center is a government research place. It mainly supports programs in the Department of the Interior. The USGS Biological Resources Division, which includes the center, helps provide information. This information is needed to manage America's animals and plants. So, what other groups need helps decide what the center studies.
The center also gets money from groups that benefit from its research. This extra support helps the center do more work. The science done here is driven by what nature needs. It also comes from the smart ideas of its scientists. Scientists at the center work on the newest ideas in science. This helps make sure we can protect nature for a long time.
History of the Center
The land where the Patuxent Research Refuge is now was mostly farmland for a long time. This was from the colonial period until after World War I. Famous families like the Snowdens and Duvalls owned much of this land. You can still see signs of the Snowden family today. One of their old homes, Snowden Hall, is on the refuge property. There are also 19 old cemeteries nearby. They have headstones with the names of these families and others.
In 1991, a large part of the refuge, called the "North Tract," was transferred. It was given from the Defense Department's Fort Meade land. The Patuxent River divides the refuge into North and Central/South Tracts. In the North Tract, you can still see signs of its past. Before 1917, when the Department of Defense owned the land, there were many old roads. The Army later used these roads for training. Part of what is now the Wildlife Loop was once a road. It connected the town of Woodwardville with Laurel, Maryland.
Long ago, the old Duvall and Lemons Bridges helped people travel. They connected Prince Georges and Anne Arundel Counties. The Duvall Bridge was rebuilt in the 1940s and is still there. Only cement posts show where Lemon's Bridge used to be. The most historic old road was the Telegraph Road. It used Duvall Bridge and once connected Baltimore and Washington. You can still see old telegraph poles along this road today.
In 1946, scientists at Patuxent made an important discovery. They found that tests with a chemical called DDT were harming wildlife. It was killing animals in tree canopies and many fish in the Patuxent River.
In 2017, the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center stopped its program for whooping cranes. For 51 years, they had worked to breed and train these rare birds. The 75 cranes from the program moved to other places. Some went to the International Crane Foundation and others to the Calgary Zoo. These places continue to help breed the cranes.
Patuxent and Fort Meade
Fort George G. Meade is an active Army base close to the research center. In 1991, about 7,600 acres (31 km²) of land were moved from the base to the Patuxent National Research Refuge. In 1993, another 500 acres (2 km²) were transferred. These land transfers were part of government bills.
In 2007, there was a report about Fort Meade's expansion. It talked about building two new golf courses. The report said this could affect the Patuxent Research Refuge. The refuge is very important for scientific research and protecting nature. The Army said it was taking steps to limit environmental damage. They also said the golf courses were needed for soldiers and their families.
Images for kids
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Patuxent National Wildlife Visitor Center entrance sign
