New Mexico

Wild Life Refuges: Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge, Los Alamos Wildlife Refuge, Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge, San Andres National Wildlife Refuge, Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge

Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge

Situated on a high plateau where the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains and the Chihuahuan desert come together, Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for a diversity of plant and animal life. Established for migratory birds traveling along the Central Flyway, this 8,672 acre refuge is comprised of native grasslands, croplands, marshes, ponds, timbered canyons and streams which provide important habitat for over 254 species of birds. Las Vegas (Spanish for "the meadows") preserves not only wildlife homes, but also a slice of northeastern New Mexico's rich cultural history.

The Refuge provides habitat for over 270 species of birds, with approximately 80 of these species nesting on the refuge. Out of the 134 neotropical species (birds that migrate to the United States from Central and South America) found on the refuge, 50 are nesters. In addition to the high species richness of birds, many other wildlife species are at home on the Refuge, including mule deer, American pronghorn, wild turkey and coyote. A variety of amphibians and reptiles can also be found on the Refuge and there is an abundance of insect life.

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