Savannah National Wildlife Refuge

Savannah National Wildlife Refuge. . , Established in 1927 as a Federal Bird Refuge, Savannah NWR is comprised of 31,551 acres that straddle the Savannah River in both Georgia and South Carolina (Chatham and Effingham Counties, GA and Jasper County, SC). The refuge provides important breeding and over-wintering habitat for waterfowl, wading birds, shorebirds, neotropical songbirds, American alligators, and several threatened or endangered species (wood stork, West Indian manatee, and shortnose sturgeon)., Native mammals found on the refuge year-round include white-tailed deer, river otter, and bobcat. Thirty-eight miles of river and over 25 miles of streams and creeks lie within the refuge boundary. Refuge habitats include small areas of upland forests and hammocks, bottomland, hardwoods, estuarine (salt marshes and mudflats), tidal freshwater wetlands (influenced by 6-9 foot tides), and managed freshwater marshes and impoundments., Explore and Enjoy , The Savannah National Wildlife Refuge is open to visitors daily from sunrise to sunset for recreational activities such as wildlife observation and photography, hiking, bicycling, paddling, fishing, and hunting (during designated hunting seasons). The refuge's 4-mile Laurel Hill Wildlife Drive provides excellent wildlife viewing opportunities from the comfort of your vehicle, while miles of grass trails are also available to explroe by foot or bicycle.