San Andres National Wildlife Refuge
| San Andres National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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| Location | Doña Ana County, New Mexico, United States |
| Nearest city | Las Cruces, NM |
| Coordinates | 32°41′29″N 106°32′28″W / 32.69139°N 106.54111°WCoordinates: 32°41′29″N 106°32′28″W / 32.69139°N 106.54111°W |
| Area | 57,215 acres (231.54 km2) |
| Established | 1941 |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service |
| Website | San Andres National Wildlife Refuge |
The San Andres National Wildlife Refuge is located in the southern San Andres Mountains of southcentral New Mexico, USA. The refuge, which lies within the northernmost extension of the Chihuahuan Desert, has elevations ranging from 4,200 feet (1,300 m) to 8,239 feet (2,511 m) feet. Refuge habitats vary from creosote and Chihuahuan desert grasslands in the bajadas to pinyon-juniper woodlands at higher elevations. A few springs, seeps, and seasonal streams provide water for wildlife and riparian habitats in the refuge.
San Andres NWR is completely surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range and is closed to the public for security reasons.
The San Andres National Wildlife Refuge preserves the largest intact Chihuahuan desert mountain range in the U.S. The refuge runs 21 miles north to south at the southern end of the San Andres Mountains. San Andres Peak is the highest point at 8,239 feet (2,511 m). Bennett and Big Brushy Mountains rise to more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m). The range is a fault-block tilted to the west. The eastern slopes of the San Andres rise sharply from the Tularosa Basin now largely part of the White Sands military base. The western slopes are more gradual, merging into the Jornada del Muerto.
The refuge is in the Upper Sonoran life zone characterized by semi-desert vegetation and grassland. One hundred and seventy two species of birds, including 5 species of hummingbirds, have been seen on the refuge. Large mammals include mule deer, mountain lion, desert bighorn sheep, black bear, and the introduced oryx. On rare occasions, javelina have been seen.
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Wikipedia