Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge |
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IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
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 Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge
Location in Alaska
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| Location | Alaska, United States |
| Nearest city | Northway, Alaska / Beaver Creek, Yukon |
| Area | 700,058 acres (2,833.03 km2) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Telin NWR |
The Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge is a huge natural area in Alaska, United States. It is a beautiful place with forests, wet areas called wetlands, and wide-open tundra. You can also find lakes, mountains, and rivers fed by glaciers here. Snowy peaks of the Alaska Range surround this special refuge.
This area, known as the "Tetlin Passage," is super important for birds. It's like a major highway for birds flying between Canada, the lower 48 states of the U.S., and even Central and South America. Many birds choose Tetlin to build their nests and raise their young. Others just pass through on their way to other nesting spots in Alaska.
Birds like ducks, geese, swans, and songbirds start arriving in April and keep coming until early June. About 116 different kinds of birds have their babies at Tetlin during the short summer. The long, warm summer days help plants and insects grow quickly, providing lots of food for the nesting birds.
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Amazing Animals of Tetlin
Tetlin Refuge is home to many different kinds of large animals. You can spot Dall sheep on the higher mountain slopes. Alaskan moose enjoy eating the fresh new plants that grow after lightning causes fires.
Mammals of the Refuge
Many other cool mammals live here too. You might see wolf packs, Canadian lynx, and red fox. Smaller animals like beavers, martens, and snowshoe hares also call Tetlin home.
The refuge is also a place where three different groups of caribou roam. Plus, you can find both grizzly bears and black bears here.
Birds of Prey and Waterfowl
Besides the nesting birds, Tetlin is a great place for raptors. These include peregrine falcons, golden eagles, ospreys, and bald eagles. You can also see beautiful tundra swans and trumpeter swans. Six different types of owls live in the refuge too!
Fish in the Waters
The refuge's many streams and lakes are full of fish. Two important places where humpback whitefish lay their eggs in the Yukon River area are found right here. These fish, along with caribou and moose, are a key food source for the people who live nearby. Other fish like Arctic grayling, northern pike, and burbot also swim in Tetlin's waters.
Size of Tetlin Refuge
The Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge covers a huge area of about 700,058 acres (2,833.03 km2). This makes it one of the largest National Wildlife Refuges in the United States, ranking as the 18th biggest. Even though it's so large, it's actually the second smallest of the sixteen refuges in Alaska!
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See also
In Spanish: Refugio Nacional de Vida Silvestre Tetlin para niños
