Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

To divers and nature-lovers, Crystal River is synonymous with the Florida manatee. The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, 1502 SE Kings Bay Rd., tel. 352-563-2088, www.fws.gov/chassahowitzka, protects the waterway's wintering herd, the largest in the US. An aerial survey in December 2006 counted 363 manatees in the refuge. During peak manatee season, November 15 through March, certain areas of the refuge's waterways are closed to boat and snorkeling traffic. In the remainder of the manatee management area, slow and idle speeds are enforced from September through April. The refuge is accessible only by boat and has a small visitor's center that distributes information on tours and charters.

As the hub of Citrus County's coastal towns, Crystal River is the largest city on Highway 91 north of the Port Richey area in Pasco County (see the St. Petersburg/Clearwater chapter), yet it retains a certain hometown charm despite its strip of highway build-up.

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge
IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
Location	Citrus County, Florida, USA
Nearest city	Crystal River, FloridaNearest city: Crystal River, Florida
Coordinates	28°53′15″N 82°36′00″W / 28.8875°N 82.6°W / 28.8875; -82.6Coordinates: 28°53′15″N 82°36′00″W / 28.8875°N 82.6°W / 28.8875; -82.6
Area	80
Established	1983 Established: 1983
Governing body	U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located in Kings Bay, in the town of Crystal River, and consists of 20 islands and several small parcels of land. The 80-acre (320,000 m²) refuge (only accessible by boat) was established in 1983, to protect the West Indian Manatee. It is administered as part of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

This is the "Kings Spring" area. The area behind the buoys and ropes is a manatee sanctuary, where snorkelers and boaters are forbidden to enter.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

• Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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