ⓘ Some details here were drafted automatically and haven't been verified yet — double-check fees and hours with the managing agency before you go.
The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula in Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties, North Carolina. Its headquarters is located in Columbia. Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1990. Originally, the 12,000-acre (49km) southwestern portion of the refuge-now known as the Pungo Unit-was established in 1963 as the Pungo National Wildlife Refuge, but it was merged with Pocosin Lakes in 1990. The refuge now covers 110,106 acres (446km), of which approximately 90,000 acres (364km) were donated. The refuge is named for the pocosin peat wetlands that make up the majority of the protected habitat. This refuge is home to indigenous animals such as the black bear, alligator, two species of fox, bobcat, raccoon, coyote, opossum, beaver, river otter, mink, and red wolf. It was the site chosen for the reintroduction of the endangered red wolf in 1987. It is located along the Atlantic Flyway and is home to more than 200 species of birds. The Pungo Lake unit is a notable overwintering site for Tundra swans, snow geese, and many species of ducks (including rare species like northern shovelers and hooded mergansers), with about 100,000 waterfowl in residence between November and January.