Map showing the Desert National Wildlife Reserve and other federal properties in southern Nevada

The Desert National Wildlife Range is a protected wildlife refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located north of Las Vegas, Nevada. The Desert NWR, created on May 20, 1936, is also the largest wildlife refuge in the lower 48 states of the United States, encompassing 1.5 million acres (6,000 km²) of the Mojave Desert in the southern part of Nevada. This Range is part of the larger Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which includes the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, and the Amargosa Pupfish Station. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1972x1148, 1869 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Area 51 Yucca Mountain Nevada Test Site Nellis Air Force Base Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates Tonopah Test Range Nellis Air Force Range Mercury, Nevada Desert National Wildlife Range Wikipedia... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1972x1148, 1869 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: Area 51 Yucca Mountain Nevada Test Site Nellis Air Force Base Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates Tonopah Test Range Nellis Air Force Range Mercury, Nevada Desert National Wildlife Range Wikipedia... The USFWS logo The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is a unit of the United States Department of the Interior that is dedicated to managing and preserving wildlife. ... Jump to: navigation, search Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign just to the south of the Las Vegas Strip welcoming visitors to the city City nickname: The Entertainment Capital of the World Location Location of Las Vegas in Nevada Government County Clark Mayor Oscar B. Goodman Physical characteristics Area      Land... Jump to: navigation, search 20 May is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1936 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search Mojave Desert The Mojave or Mohave Desert occupies a significant portion of Southern California and parts of Utah, Nevada and Arizona. ... Jump to: navigation, search State nickname: Silver State, Battle Born State (official) Other U.S. States Capital Carson City Largest city Las Vegas Governor Kenny Guinn (R) Senators Harry Reid (D) John Ensign (R) Official languages None Area 286,367 km² (7th)  - Land 284,396 km²  - Water 1,971 km... Jump to: navigation, search The Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a protected wildlife refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located north of Las Vegas, Nevada mostly in Lincoln County, Nevada. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is a protected wildlife refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located 90 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge is a protected wildlife refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located 60 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge is a protected wildlife refuge, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, located 90 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada in Lincoln County, Nevada. ... Jump to: navigation, search The Amargosa Pupfish Station is a protected wildlife refuge located in the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, administered by the National Park Service, located 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada in Nye County. ...

Range/Refuge staff work out of the Corn Creek Field Station, which includes a visitors center, which is located 23 miles (37 km) north of Las Vegas, Nevada. The Range can be accessed from U.S. 95 North.

The Desert NWR contains six major mountain ranges, including the Sheep Range, with heights up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and valleys around 2,500 feet (800 m). Annual rainfall in the range caries from less then four inches in the valleys to over fifteen inches on the mountain peaks.

Perpetuating the desert bighorn sheep and its habitat is the most important objective of the range. The Range actively improves bighorn habitats by developing new water sources and maintaining and improving existing ones. Numerous other wildlife species share the range with bighorns. There are currently Binomial name Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804 Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) is a species of sheep in North America with two endangered subspecies: Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) California Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis californiana). ...

In addition to the wildlife the Range also boasts and abundance of plant communities. Plant communities and wildlife found on the Range vary with altitude and climate. Most of these plant species can be seen while driving the Morman Well Road (which can be accessed from the Corn Creek Field Station). The desert shrub community, composed of creosote bush and white bursage are the dominant shrubs in the hottest, lowest elevations of Desert National Wildlife Range. Above the valley floor, Mojave yucca and cactus become abundant. At the upper edge of the desert shrub communities, between approximately 4,200 to 6,000 feet (1300 to 1800 m), black-brush and Joshua tree are dominant. Above 6,000 feet (1800 m) desert woodlands, composed of single-leaf pinyon, Utah juniper, and big sagebrush begin. The coniferous forest communities begin around 7,000 feet (2100 m). From 7,000 to 9,000 feet (2100 to 2700 m) Ponderosa pine and white fir are the dominant trees. Near 10,000 feet (3,000 m) where the growing seasons are the shortest, the only trees surviving are bristlecone pines.

Numerous recreational opportunities are available on the Range. Camping, hiking, backpacking, and horseback riding are all popular activities enjoyed by refuge visitors. Limited hunting for bighorn sheep is permitted. Please contact the Refuge Manager for additional information.

External links

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Desert National Wildlife Range Page
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex