Monomoy Wilderness
Encyclopedia
The Monomoy Wilderness is a 3244 acres (13 km²) wilderness area south of Cape Cod
in the U.S.
state of Massachusetts
. It is located within the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
and is administered by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Severe winter storms isolated Monomoy Point from the mainland in 1958 and, 20 years later, separated North Monomoy Island from South Monomoy Island. Sand dunes on the eastern shore of the islands give way to salt marsh and then to mudflats on the western shore. The ecosystem is a perfect habitat for migratory birds.
Dubbed a sanctuary for wildlife in 1944, most of Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge has been designated wilderness. This includes the entire north island and all but two tracts on the south island. The mainland portion of the Refuge is not wilderness.
s, geese, ducks, and the endangered piping plover
and roseate tern
. Hundreds of grey
and harbor seals winter along the coastline as well.
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It is located within the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge
Monomoy Island National Wildlife Refuge is federal wildlife refuge located on Monomoy Island in Massachusetts.- History :It was taken over by the US government just before World War II. The island was home to the Monomoy Island Gunnery Range until 1944 when the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge was...
and is administered by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. Severe winter storms isolated Monomoy Point from the mainland in 1958 and, 20 years later, separated North Monomoy Island from South Monomoy Island. Sand dunes on the eastern shore of the islands give way to salt marsh and then to mudflats on the western shore. The ecosystem is a perfect habitat for migratory birds.
Dubbed a sanctuary for wildlife in 1944, most of Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge has been designated wilderness. This includes the entire north island and all but two tracts on the south island. The mainland portion of the Refuge is not wilderness.
Wildlife
Among the migratory birds seen in the Monomoy Wilderness are grebes, shearwaters, petrels, gannets, bitterns, egrets, herons, swanSwan
Swans, genus Cygnus, are birds of the family Anatidae, which also includes geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae...
s, geese, ducks, and the endangered piping plover
Piping Plover
The Piping Plover is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange legs, a black band across the forehead from eye to eye, and a black ring around the neck...
and roseate tern
Roseate Tern
The Roseate Tern is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. This bird has a number of geographical races, differing mainly in bill colour and minor plumage details....
. Hundreds of grey
Grey Seal
The grey seal is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus...
and harbor seals winter along the coastline as well.
External links
- Monomoy Wilderness - Wilderness.net
- Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge - US Fish & Wildlife Service