Navassa Island National Wildlife Refuge

Navassa Island National Wildlife Refuge is a remote protected area in the Caribbean Sea positioned between Haiti and Jamaica. The island rises dramatically from the water with steep limestone cliffs creating a rocky, undeveloped landscape.

The territory was claimed by the United States in 1857 and subsequently used for phosphate mining through the 1800s. Following the end of extraction, the site was gradually protected as a wildlife refuge.

The refuge maintains scientific research stations where experts study over 600 terrestrial species and document the island's ecological systems.

Access to this island is not available for regular visitors and requires special permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The rough coastline and conservation regulations make visitation essentially restricted to authorized research activities.

The island houses 5,000 nesting red-footed boobies and contains multiple endemic lizard species within its protected marine zone of 12 nautical miles.

Inception: 1999

Elevation above the sea: 75 m

Website: https://fws.gov/caribbean/refuges/Navassa

GPS coordinates: 18.40000,-75.00833

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:43