Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
| Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
| Location | Morgan, Limestone, and Madison Counties, Alabama, United States |
| Nearest city | Decatur, Alabama |
| Coordinates | 34°33′28″N 86°57′06″W / 34.55778°N 86.95167°W |
| Area | 34,430.66 acres (139.3359 km2) |
| Established | July 7, 1938 |
| Visitors | 700,000 (in 2003) |
| Governing body | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| Website | Wheeler NWR |
The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge is a 35,000-acre (140 km2) national wildlife refuge (NWR) located along the Tennessee River near Decatur, Alabama. Named after Major General Joseph Wheeler, it was established to provide a habitat for wintering and migrating birds in the Eastern United States.
Of the 35,000 acres of the refuge, about 4,085 acres (16.53 km2) are located within Redstone Arsenal. Around 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) of the Redstone Arsenal land are administered by the Marshall Space Flight Center.
Wheeler NWR is charged with the administration of four other NWRs, including Fern Cave, Key Cave, Sauta Cave and Watercress Darter National Wildlife Refuges. Until recently, Wheeler NWR also administered the Cahaba River National Wildlife Refuge (now administered by the Mountain Longleaf National Wildlife Refuge).