Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge, National wildlife refuge near St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands.
Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge is a small protected area near St. Thomas, featuring dense scrub, grasslands, and rocky shores with coral reefs in the surrounding Caribbean waters. The island covers about 45 acres and sits in shallow coastal waters where marine life thrives around its perimeter.
The U.S. Navy owned the island until 1969, when it transferred ownership to the Fish and Wildlife Service for protection and management. This handover marked the start of the refuge as an official conservation area for the Caribbean ecosystem.
The waters surrounding Buck Island hold the wreck of Cartanza Senora, a 190-foot World War II cargo vessel relocated for recreational diving.
You will need to arrange boat transportation from St. Thomas to reach the island, as there is no bridge or ferry service. The refuge welcomes visitors from dawn until dusk for walking trails and watching wildlife.
Two lighthouses stand on the island, with the newer solar-powered structure projecting light signals across eight nautical miles of ocean. This combination of old and new navigation aids reflects the island's long maritime history.
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