Innoko National Wildlife Refuge

The Innoko National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge of the United States located in western Alaska. It consists of 3,850,481 acres (15,582 km2), of which 1,240,000 acres (5,018 km2) is designated a wilderness area. It is the fifth-largest national wildlife refuge in the United States.[1] The refuge is administered from offices in Galena.

Innoko National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
Kaiyuh Flats
LocationYukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, United States
Nearest cityMcGrath, Alaska
Coordinates63°20′N 158°25′W
Area3,850,481 acres (15,582.34 km2)
EstablishedDecember 2, 1980
Governing bodyU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
WebsiteInnoko NWR

The refuge was established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.[2] The northern part of the refuge, called Kaiyuh Flats, is adjacent to the Yukon River southwest of Galena. It contains 751,000 acres (3,040 km2). The southern part contains approximately 3,099,000 acres (12,540 km2) of land surrounding the Innoko River. The land is swampy and is the nesting area for hundreds of thousands of birds including ospreys, northern hawk-owls, trumpeter swans, bald eagles, common ravens, short-eared owls, and red-tailed hawks. Mammalian species that habitat this refuge are brown and black bears, moose, wolf packs, Canadian lynx, marten, porcupine, beaver, caribou, river otter, red fox, wolverine, muskrat, and mink.

The refuge has no road access from outside and contains no roads. Air access can be arranged in McGrath.

  • Mountains
  • River
  • Wetlands
  • Aerial view

References
  1. Annual Report of Lands under the Control of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (PDF) (Report). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. September 30, 2007. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
  2. "Appendix B: Enabling Legislation". Koyukuk and Northern Unit Innoko Refuge National Wildlife Refuge: Fire Management Plan (PDF) (Report). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. May 2005. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
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