Buck Island Reef National Monument

Buck Island Reef National Monument, or just Buck Island is a small, uninhabited, 176 acre (712,000 m²) island about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the northeast coast of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. National Monument was created in 1961 and greatly expanded in 2001, over the bitter opposition of local fisherman. Most of the Monument area, which is administered by the National Park Service, is underwater. The marine ecosystem surrounding the island includes an elkhorn coral barrier reef that surrounds two-thirds of the island and provides cover for a great variety of reef fish. Endangered species that nest on the island include sea turtles and Least Terns. Jump to: navigation, search Saint Croix from space, January 1993 Saint Croix is one of the United States Virgin Islands, a United States territory, in the Caribbean. ... A U.S. National Monument is a protected area of the United States that is similar to a national park (specifically a U.S. National Park) except that the President of the United States can quickly declare an area of the United States to be a national monument without Congressional... Jump to: navigation, search The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... Jump to: navigation, search In ecology, an ecosystem is a naturally occurring assemblage of organisms (plant, animal and other living organisms—also referred to as a biotic community or biocoenosis) living together with their environment (or biotope), functioning as a loose unit. ... Some of the biodiversity of a coral reef. ... Jump to: navigation, search The American bison numbered as few as 750 in 1890 due to extreme overhunting. ... Genera Caretta Lepidochelys Chelonia Eretmochelys Natator Dermochelys Sea turtles are large, ocean-dwelling turtles. ... Binomial name Sterna albifrons Pallas, 1764 The Little Tern (Sterna albifrons) is a seabird of the tern family Sternidae. ...

The clear waters, spectacular coral formations and abundance of marine life make Buck Island a favorite snorkeling destination. Snorkelers can enjoy a marked underwater trail near the eastern tip of Buck Island. The western edge of the island features a beautiful white-sand beach that makes it a popular gathering spot for local boaters. Jump to: navigation, search Snorkeling is the practice of swimming at the surface of a body of water equipped with a mask and a short tube called a snorkel. ...