Currituck National Wildlife Refuge :: Carova Beach, NC - On The Outer Banks, The Barrier Islands Of North Carolina

Located on Currituck County's Outer Banks near Carova Beach, north of Corolla - this refuge is one of the newest in North Carolina. Some tracts stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Currituck Sound and include sandy beaches, grassy dunes, maritime forests, shrub thickets, and fresh and brackish marshes. It contains several separate tracts of land totalling over 4,000 acres and was established to protect the dynamic and fragile character of coastal barrier islands. The refuge provides a habitat to a variety of waterfowl, migratory birds, endangered species and native wildlife.

The Corolla Wild Horses can be seen on the Outer Banks north of Corolla to the Virginia State line, which has been designated by a Currituck County ordinance as a Wild Horse Sanctuary. Wild horses are occasionally seen on the refuge and visitors are advised to view them from a distance. The Fish and Wildlife Service considers the horses to be non-native, feral animals and not a natural component of the barrier island ecosystem. The Service actively manages critical habitat areas by erecting fences to keep them out and to prevent habitat damage.

Currituck Refuge does not have any developed public use facilities such as roads, trails, restrooms, or visitor contact station yet it hosts almost 20,000 visitors annually. The refuge is open daily, from sunrise to sunset, throughout the year. Hiking, wildlife observation, nature photography, and waterfowl hunting are the primary wildlife-dependent activities that may be enjoyed on the refuge. Wading birds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors with a variety of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Piping plover and loggerhead sea turtles occasionally nest on the refuge.

Vehicle access is limited to the Monkey Island Tract and the Swan Island Tract. A four-wheeled drive vehicle is necessary since traffic is restricted to the beachfront only. Access to the rest of the refuge the is restricted to foot traffic due to the fragile nature of the dune ecosystem. Established sand dunes provide defense against storms and protect the maritime forest and habitats.

The refuge is comprised of Wetlands 2,033 acres; Woodlands 778 acres; Brush 874 acres; Beach 418 acres. The five main tracts scattered along the barrier island. The Currituck Marsh tract and the Station Landing Marsh tract are located at the northenmost end. The Swan Island tract is in middle. The Monkey Island tract includes several small islands in Currituck Sound. The two southern tracts are the County Marsh tracts, located northwest of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.

Next > >

More Info: Currituck National Wildlife Refuge

	Currituck National Wildlife Refuge Home SPONSORS ATTRACTIONS HISTORY WEATHER GOV ORG EDU REGION Located on Currituck County's Outer Banks near Carova Beach, north of Corolla - this refuge is one of the newest in North Carolina. Some tracts stretch from the Atlantic Ocean to the Currituck Sound and include sandy beaches, grassy dunes, maritime forests, shrub thickets, and fresh and brackish marshes. It contains several separate tracts of land totalling over 4,000 acres and was established to protect the dynamic and fragile character of coastal barrier islands. The refuge provides a habitat to a variety of waterfowl, migratory birds, endangered species and native wildlife. The Corolla Wild Horses can be seen on the Outer Banks north of Corolla to the Virginia State line, which has been designated by a Currituck County ordinance as a Wild Horse Sanctuary. Wild horses are occasionally seen on the refuge and visitors are advised to view them from a distance. The Fish and Wildlife Service considers the horses to be non-native, feral animals and not a natural component of the barrier island ecosystem. The Service actively manages critical habitat areas by erecting fences to keep them out and to prevent habitat damage. Currituck Refuge does not have any developed public use facilities such as roads, trails, restrooms, or visitor contact station yet it hosts almost 20,000 visitors annually. The refuge is open daily, from sunrise to sunset, throughout the year. Hiking, wildlife observation, nature photography, and waterfowl hunting are the primary wildlife-dependent activities that may be enjoyed on the refuge. Wading birds, shorebirds, waterfowl, and raptors with a variety of mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Piping plover and loggerhead sea turtles occasionally nest on the refuge. Vehicle access is limited to the Monkey Island Tract and the Swan Island Tract. A four-wheeled drive vehicle is necessary since traffic is restricted to the beachfront only. Access to the rest of the refuge the is restricted to foot traffic due to the fragile nature of the dune ecosystem. Established sand dunes provide defense against storms and protect the maritime forest and habitats. The refuge is comprised of Wetlands 2,033 acres; Woodlands 778 acres; Brush 874 acres; Beach 418 acres. The five main tracts scattered along the barrier island. The Currituck Marsh tract and the Station Landing Marsh tract are located at the northenmost end. The Swan Island tract is in middle. The Monkey Island tract includes several small islands in Currituck Sound. The two southern tracts are the County Marsh tracts, located northwest of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. Next > > More Info: Currituck National Wildlife Refuge Home SPONSORS ATTRACTIONS HISTORY WEATHER GOV ORG EDU REGION	Photos Courtesy National Biological Information Infrastructure Send us a STORY, PHOTOS, or make a COMMENT! close this panel
LIGHTHOUSES Email this info Currituck National Wildlife Refuge close this panel Bookmark this page: Currituck National Wildlife Refuge