Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
Location:	South Dakota, USA
Nearest city:	Lake Andes, SD
Coordinates:	43°1′16″N, 98°31′53″W
Area:	1,085 acres (4.39 km²)
Established:	December 19, 1974
Visitation:	(in )
Governing body:	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of South Dakota and includes 1,085 acres (4.39 km²) The refuge is a part of the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge Complex and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Of the land area in the district, the U.S. Government owns only 780 acres (3.15 km²), while the remaining acreage is managed as an easement. The refuge is closed to the public but there are excellent viewing locations from the Ft. Randle Dam on the Missouri River. The Karl E. Mundt NWR has the largest concentration of Bald eagles in the lower 48 states, with over 200 eagles oftentimes spending the Winter on the refuge. The refuge was named for former South Dakota Senator Karl Mundt, who was a strong supporter of the Endangered Species Act of 1966. The World Conservation Union or International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is an international organization dedicated to natural resource conservation. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 17th 199,905 km² 340 km 610 km 1. ... Lake Andes is a city located in Charles Mix County, South Dakota. ... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1974 calendar). ... 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. ... A state of the United States (U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states, four of which officially favor the term commonwealth which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Pierre Largest city Sioux Falls Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 17th 199,905 km² 340 km 610 km 1. ... 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. ... ... The Missouri River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in the United States. ... Binomial name Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a raptor that is indigenous to North America, and is the national symbol of the United States of America. ... The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... The Endangered Species Act (7 U.S.C. 136; 16 U.S.C. 460 et seq. ...

Bald Eagle about to land. Bald eagle females are slightly larger than males and can have an 8 ft (2.43m) wingspan and weigh between 10 and 14 lbs (4.53-6.35kg)

The Karl E. Mundt NWR is centered on an area below the Ft. Randle Dam which is located on the Missouri River, and is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Here, an abundance of fish such as Shad and White bass and a variety of ducks and geese, are major attractions to Bald eagles that consume fish, reptiles and even other birds as a part of their normal diet. The riverbanks in the area are thick with massive Cottonwood trees that provide ideal nesting habitat for Bald eagles and also shelter them from the cold winter winds of the Great Plains. By 1967, the number of Bald eagles that were found to be wintering below the dam was 238, which was the largest concentration of this species anywhere in the lower 48 states at that time. The National Park Service then proclaimed the area as a National Natural Landmark, setting the stage for protection. In an effort to purchase private land and help to protect habitat for the Bald eagle, 7-Eleven Food Stores and the National Wildlife Federation worked out a deal in which proceeds from the sale of endangered species drinking cups sold at 7-Eleven stores, was donated to the National Wildlife Federation. With the 250,000 dollars raised, the National Wildlife Federation then purchased the land and donated it to the U.S. Government and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on December 19, 1974. The Bald eagle was placed on the endangered species list in 1976 and after almost 20 years of strict protection, the population of these birds increased sufficiently for them to be relisted as a threatened species. As of 2006, an estimated 90,000 Bald eagles are believed to exist in the wild. Binomial name Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Linnaeus, 1766) The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey originating in North America, most recognizable as the national bird of the United States. ... United States Army Corps of Engineers logo The United States Army Corps of Engineers, or USACE, is made up of some 34,600 civilian and 650 military men and women. ... Species (Caspian shad) (Caspian anadromous shad) (Alewife) (American or Atlantic shad) (Persian Gulf shad) many others The shads or river herrings comprise the genus Alosa, fishes related to herring in the family Clupeidae. ... The white bass (Morone chrysops) is a freshwater fish of the temperate bass family Moronidae. ... Species Populus deltoides L. Populus fremontii [[]] Populus nigra L. The cottonwoods are three species of poplars in the section Aegiros of the genus Populus, native to North America, Europe and western Asia. ... The Great Plains is the broad expanse of prairie which lies east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States of America and Canada, covering all or parts of the U.S. states of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota and North Dakota and the... 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. ... Caverns of Sonora National Natural Landmark The National Natural Landmark (NNL) program recognizes and encourages the conservation of outstanding examples of the United States natural history. ... For the bicycle team see 7-Eleven Cycling Team. ... The National Wildlife Federation is the largest and most prominent American conservation organization, with over 5 million members and supporters in 47 state-affiliated organizations; its annual budget is over $125 million as of 2006. ... The endangered Sea Otter An endangered species is a population of organisms (frequently but not always a taxonomic species) which is either (a) so few in number or (b) threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters that it is at risk of becoming extinct. ...

Though the refuge is closed to the public, bird watching is available from the Ft. Randle Dam and a kiosk there provides information for the best times and locations for viewing various species. The Bald eagle is best seen during the winter, especially between the months of Novermber to March, and are uncommon for most of the rest of the year, though a few nesting pairs remain on the refuge year round. Generally, the harshest winters have the largest concentrations of eagles, as they prefer to be near to a readily available food source to maximize calorie intake. Over 200 other species of birds have been spotted here including White pelicans, Franklin's gull and Double-crested cormorants . White-tailed deer, Mule deer, coyotes, bobcat, skunk and mink are but a few of the 50 species of mammals observed in the refuge. Plans to expand the refuge are nearing final approval and it is hoped that another 2,000 acres (8.09 km²) may be added. Binomial name Pelecanus onocrotalus Linnaeus, 1758 The White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) is a bird in the pelican family. ... Binomial name Larus pipixcan Wagler, 1831 The Franklins Gull (Larus pipixcan) is a small gull. ... Binomial name Phalacrocorax auritus (Lesson, 1831) The Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, is a North American member of the cormorant family of seabirds. ... Binomial name Odocoileus virginianus Zimmermann, 1780 The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer found throughout most of the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, Central America and South America far south as Peru. ... Binomial name Odocoileus hemionus (Rafinesque, 1817) The Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is a deer whose habitat is in the western half of North America. ... Binomial name Canis latrans Say, 1823 The coyote (Canis latrans, meaning barking dog, also prairie wolf[1]) is a member of the Canidae (the dog family) and a relative of the domestic dog. ... Binomial name Lynx rufus (Schreber, 1777) The Bobcat (Lynx rufus, or Felis rufus) is a small wild cat indigenous to North America. ... Genera Conepatus Mydaus Mephitis Spilogale Skunks are moderately small mammals with black-and-white fur belonging to the family Mustelidae and the order Carnivora. ... An American Mink, Mustela vison, in the wild. ...

External links

• Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge homepage
• Bald eagle fact page
• Plans for refuge expansion