Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge is located in the far northeastern portion of the U.S. state
of Montana
. The refuge was established in 1935 to protect habitat for various wildlife and especially migratory birds. 235 distinct bird species have been documented and of these 125 are known to nest on the refuge. The fifth largest colony of American White Pelican
s, representing 4,000 breeding pairs, has been recorded. In 2003, a Whooping Crane
was photographed on the refuge and is the first documented sighting of this endangered species ever in the state of Montana. There are only an estimated 300 Whooping Cranes believed to be in existence. There is one endangered
and two threatened species
of birds known to inhabit the refuge at least seasonally. Mammals such as the Black bear
, Wolverine
, Moose
, Mule deer
, Bobcat
, Caribou and Pronghorn
can be found here as well.
Medicine Lake Wilderness
is an 11,366 acre (46 km2) wilderness area within the refuge that was established in 1976 to provide a higher level of protection to the most remote sections of the refuge. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
. The refuge was established in 1935 to protect habitat for various wildlife and especially migratory birds. 235 distinct bird species have been documented and of these 125 are known to nest on the refuge. The fifth largest colony of American White Pelican
American White Pelican
The American White Pelican is a large aquatic bird from the order Pelecaniformes. It breeds in interior North America, moving south and to the coasts, as far as Central America, in winter....
s, representing 4,000 breeding pairs, has been recorded. In 2003, a Whooping Crane
Whooping Crane
The whooping crane , the tallest North American bird, is an endangered crane species named for its whooping sound. Along with the Sandhill Crane, it is one of only two crane species found in North America. The whooping crane's lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild...
was photographed on the refuge and is the first documented sighting of this endangered species ever in the state of Montana. There are only an estimated 300 Whooping Cranes believed to be in existence. There is one endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
and two threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
of birds known to inhabit the refuge at least seasonally. Mammals such as the Black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, Wolverine
Wolverine
The wolverine, pronounced , Gulo gulo , also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, or quickhatch, is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae . It is a stocky and muscular carnivore, more closely resembling a small bear than other mustelids...
, Moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, Mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, Bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
, Caribou and Pronghorn
Pronghorn
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America. Though not an antelope, it is often known colloquially in North America as the prong buck, pronghorn antelope, or simply antelope, as it closely resembles the true antelopes of the Old World and...
can be found here as well.
Medicine Lake Wilderness
Medicine Lake Wilderness
The Medicine Lake Wilderness is located in eastern Montana, in the United States. Preserved to ensure migratory birds have a safe haven during the spring and fall migrations, the wilderness is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and is within Medicine Lake National Wildlife Refuge.U.S....
is an 11,366 acre (46 km2) wilderness area within the refuge that was established in 1976 to provide a higher level of protection to the most remote sections of the refuge. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior.