UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge is a 56,048 acre (227 km2) protected area that is located in central Montana
, United States
. The refuge, located at the extreme southernmost tip of Phillips County
, is managed and bordered on three sides by the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge
and the Fort Peck Reservoir on the Missouri River
. The UL Bend Wilderness
comprises almost half the refuge and provides a high level of protection to the most remote regions. This refuge is remote, requiring travel by gravel and dirt roads that can be difficult to navigate during inclement weather. A large population of bighorn sheep
, elk
, pronghorn
and mule deer
inhabit the refuge. Prairie dog
s are abundant and are the primary food source for the black-footed ferret
, which is listed as an endangered species
. The Black-footed ferret has been reintroduced into the refuge after nearing extinction yet the sustainability of this relocated species is not yet known, and there are only 1,000 remaining in breeding compounds and perhaps 100 in the wild. Researchers in 2002 were only able to locate a total of 5 ferrets in the entire refuge.
UL Bend Wilderness
is an 20,819 acre (84 km2) wilderness area within the refuge that was established in 1976 to provide a higher level of protection to the more remote sections. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The refuge is an integral part of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Complex
.
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,...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The refuge, located at the extreme southernmost tip of Phillips County
Phillips County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge* Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge * Hewitt Lake National Wildlife Refuge* UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge* Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument -Demographics:...
, is managed and bordered on three sides by the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge surrounds Fort Peck Reservoir and at 1,100,000 acres is the largest refuge in Montana, United States. Created in 1936, the refuge was named after famed painter of the American West, Charles M. Russell...
and the Fort Peck Reservoir on the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
. The UL Bend Wilderness
UL Bend Wilderness
The UL Bend Wilderness comprises 20,819 acres and is located in the U.S. state of Montana within the UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge, which in turn is also completely surrounded by the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Bordering on the Fort Peck Reservoir, a portion of the Missouri...
comprises almost half the refuge and provides a high level of protection to the most remote regions. This refuge is remote, requiring travel by gravel and dirt roads that can be difficult to navigate during inclement weather. A large population of bighorn sheep
Bighorn Sheep
The bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, 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...
and 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...
inhabit the refuge. Prairie dog
Prairie dog
Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. There are five different species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in the United States, Canada and Mexico...
s are abundant and are the primary food source for the black-footed ferret
Black-footed Ferret
The Black-footed Ferret , also known as the American polecat or Prairie Dog Hunter, is a species of Mustelid native to central North America. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN, because of its very small and restricted populations...
, which is listed as an endangered species
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...
. The Black-footed ferret has been reintroduced into the refuge after nearing extinction yet the sustainability of this relocated species is not yet known, and there are only 1,000 remaining in breeding compounds and perhaps 100 in the wild. Researchers in 2002 were only able to locate a total of 5 ferrets in the entire refuge.
UL Bend Wilderness
UL Bend Wilderness
The UL Bend Wilderness comprises 20,819 acres and is located in the U.S. state of Montana within the UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge, which in turn is also completely surrounded by the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Bordering on the Fort Peck Reservoir, a portion of the Missouri...
is an 20,819 acre (84 km2) wilderness area within the refuge that was established in 1976 to provide a higher level of protection to the more remote sections. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior. The refuge is an integral part of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge Complex consists of six National Wildlife Refuges, all of them managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The refuges are located in the central sections of the U.S. state of Montana. The complex includes the following areas:*Charles M...
.