The standoff in Oregon between ranchers and federal agents is all over the news, but what do you really know about the hotly contested location? Without delving into the politics of the current situation, here are six facts about the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR).
- Created in 1908, this was the 19th of 51 wildlife refuges created by President Teddy Roosevelt. This outdoors-loving statesman set aside unclaimed federal lands including areas surrounding lakes Malheur, Mud, and Harney.
- Located in the Northern Great Basin area of Oregon, this part of the state is sparsely populated, offers wide open spaces, and is characterized by cold winters.
- The refuge was founded to protect birds and other native wildlife from loss of habitat and from excessive hunting. Popular fashions of the day put bird feathers in high demand and caused bird populations to drop drastically by the 1880s. When hunters discovered flocks of birds nesting at the lake, egret populations were nearly wiped out.
- The habitat includes nearly 188,000 acres of land (about 293 square miles) and is a crucial stopover on the Pacific Flyway, a migration path for birds flying from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. An estimated one million birds use the Flyway each year. The MNWR is a stopover for hundreds of species who come to rest, nest, and breed.
- The MNWR hosts twenty percent of the greater sandhill cranes that nest in Oregon. Some 60 non-avian species call this preserve home as well, including mule deer, pronghorn antelope, elk, river otters, beavers, bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears.
- Birdwatchers flock to the preserve in huge numbers, about 100,000 each year. These nature lovers pour about $15 million into the local economy yearly.
While this is not a time of year for tourism, local residents hope the occupiers of the MNWR are long gone by the time the birds — and tourist dollars — are due to fly into the area.
Featured Image from Eric Muhr/Unsplash
