National Wildlife Refuge

Southwest Florida is so rich in wildlife habitat and has so many threatened and endangered species that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to add the region to the world’s largest network of protected lands.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service considers adding new conservation areas when it identifies a geographic region with high-quality wildlife habitats remaining despite the development of homes and businesses, where migratory birds and threatened or endangered species still thrive.

In South Florida, they all have alligators. But there are some key differences between national wildlife refuges, national parks and national preserves....