Breton National Wildlife Refuge, Wildlife refuge in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.
Breton National Wildlife Refuge is a federally protected area in the Gulf of Mexico made up of the Chandeleur Islands, a chain of low-lying barrier islands off the coast of Louisiana. The islands consist of sand and low ground surrounded by shallow water, sitting far from the mainland with no land connection.
The refuge was established in 1904 by President Theodore Roosevelt, becoming the second national wildlife refuge created in the United States. It was part of an early effort to protect Gulf coast islands and their wildlife at a time when such places had little formal protection.
The refuge is a key nesting ground for brown pelicans and royal terns, which return to the sandy islands each year to raise their young. Visitors who reach the islands can watch these birds using the shallow sandbars and calm waters directly around them.
The islands can only be reached by boat, so arranging water transport is the first step for any visit. Going during calmer months makes the crossing safer and gives a better chance of spotting wildlife along the shore.
The Chandeleur Islands lose land to erosion every year, so their shape today looks quite different from what it was just a few decades ago. This slow disappearance means the wildlife habitats on the islands are constantly shifting too.
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