ARANSAS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

wildlife refuge in southern Texas, U.S., located about 140 miles (225 km) southwest of Houston on a broad peninsula between San Antonio Bay and Saint Charles Bay, overlooking Matagorda Island and the Gulf of Mexico. Occupying 54,829 acres (22,189 hectares), it consists mostly of upland but does have extensive ponds, lakes, salt marshes, and open parks. It is the principal wintering ground for the rare whooping crane (q.v.) and also attracts great numbers of other waterfowl and other birds, varying with the seasonsespecially geese, ducks, pelicans, herons, egrets, gulls, sandhill cranes, and various shorebirds. Deer, javelinas, raccoons, turkeys, and other animals are also abundant. Portions of the refuge are open to visitors for purposes of observation. The refuge was established by presidential executive order on Dec. 31, 1937.