Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge

Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge
Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area)
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Location	Virgin Islands, United States
Nearest city	Charlotte Amalie, VI
Coordinates	18°16′33″N 64°53′14″W / 18.2757885°N 64.8870868°WCoordinates: 18°16′33″N 64°53′14″W / 18.2757885°N 64.8870868°W
Area	45 acres (0.18 km²)
Established	1969
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Buck Island Lighthouse
Coordinates	18°16′41.5″N 64°53′33.6″W / 18.278194°N 64.892667°W
Constructed	1913 (first)
Foundation	concrete basement
Construction	steel tower (first); metal skeletal tower (current)
Tower height	8 metres (26 ft) (first); 12 metres (39 ft)
Tower shape	square frustum tower with balcony and lantern (first); square prism skeletal tower with balcony and light (current)
Markings	white tower, black lantern (first); unpainted tower (current)
Power source	solar power
Operator	Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge
First lit	1990s (current)
Deactivated	1990s. (first)
Focal height	42 metres (138 ft) (current)
Range	8 nautical miles (15 km; 9.2 mi)
Characteristic	Fl W 4s.
Admiralty no.	J5628
NGA no.	14632
ARLHS no.	VIR-002 (first)
USCG no.	3-32565

Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge is located about 2 miles (4 km) south of the island of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands of the United States. There are actually two "Buck Islands." The National Wildlife Refuge occupies the one near St. Thomas. The one just north of St. Croix is the centerpiece of Buck Island Reef National Monument. Adjacent to the refuge is Capella Island, about half the size of Buck, owned by the territorial government.

The refuge is characterized by a thorn scrub habitat with rocky coastline surrounded by spectacular reefs. A lighthouse (still maintained by the United States Coast Guard) stands over 45 acres (180,000 m²) of cactus and grassland. The island was transferred to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service due to "its value for migratory birds." The U.S. Navy transferred some lands in 1969 and the remainder was received from the Coast Guard in 1981. The surrounding waters contain reefs and a shipwreck that attract large numbers of snorkelers, divers, and boaters.

The islands are surrounded by beautiful coral reef habitats and an artificial reef – a shipwreck.^[4] The marine area is home to a variety of fish and animals, in particular endangered sea turtles. Visitors can see the islands from St. Thomas by boat, including snorkeling and diving trips from boats such as Heavenly Days Catamaran^[5] and Stormy Pirates Boat Charters^[6]

Turtle Cove, on the northwest side, is densely populated with sea turtles. Tours of Turtle Cove are available from St. John and St. Thomas.

Buck Island NWR is administered as part of the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife complex.

References[]

^ "Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-12-06.
^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the U.S. Virgin Islands". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2017-01-11.
^ List of Lights, Pub. 110: Greenland, The East Coasts of North and South America (Excluding Continental U.S.A. Except the East Coast of Florida) and the West Indies (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2016.
^ "The huge freighter Cartanza Senora is one of the most visited shipwrecks in Shipwreck Cove, Buck Island, St. Thomas". united-states-virgin-islands.greatestdivesites.com. Retrieved 2019-11-19.
^ "Sail the Caribbean on our catamaran | St Thomas USVI - Bolongo Bay Beach Resort". Retrieved 2019-11-19.
^ "Stormy Pirates Charters". Stormy Pirates Charters. Retrieved 2021-05-25.

External links[]

Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge homepage

[gnis-1] "Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2012-12-06.

[2] Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of the U.S. Virgin Islands". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2017-01-11.

[3] List of Lights, Pub. 110: Greenland, The East Coasts of North and South America (Excluding Continental U.S.A. Except the East Coast of Florida) and the West Indies (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2016.

[4] "The huge freighter Cartanza Senora is one of the most visited shipwrecks in Shipwreck Cove, Buck Island, St. Thomas". united-states-virgin-islands.greatestdivesites.com. Retrieved 2019-11-19.

[5] "Sail the Caribbean on our catamaran | St Thomas USVI - Bolongo Bay Beach Resort". Retrieved 2019-11-19.

[6] "Stormy Pirates Charters". Stormy Pirates Charters. Retrieved 2021-05-25.

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Buck Island National Wildlife Refuge

See also[]

References[]

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