The Texas Rio Grande Valley, a fertile deep-southern delta noted for its agricultural wealth (cotton, maize, sorghum, sugarcane, in-and-above-ground vegetables, and citrus fruit), has another sizeable wealth: well over 100,000 acres of national wildlife refuges that follow the last 275-miles of the winding Rio Grande River. In fact, it was the rapid growth of the above agribusinesses and the subsequent urbanization of the valley that compelled a major need for preserving its wealth of natural plants and animals.

The general name, Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (LRGV NWR), refers to several fish-and-wildlife-managed tracks of land between the west and east ends of the valley (about 150-miles apart via U.S.-83 expressway) from the Falcon Lake on the west end to Padre Island on the east. Among these tracts are three fairly large open-to-the-public habitats having 1,200 types of plants, 700 species of vertebrates (including birds), and 300 kinds of butterflies staying in them at one time or another. Some of these wildlife include bobcats, javelina, ocelots (miniature 20-lb leopard/jaguar-like cats, elusive and rare), jaguarundi (9-lb brown or grey cats), armadillo, snakes, lizards, chamaeleons, amphibians, alligators, sea turtles, rodents, coyotes, rabbits, deer, beaver, flora, trees, sage, shrubs, wildflower, insects, parrots, butterflies, subtropical trees, cacti of all kinds and sizes, and about 500 species of local, migratory, and subtropical birds. The three main tracts are listed below.

1. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuge is 88,000 total acres separated into four sections along the Gulf Coast and in the northern part of Padre Island. A 45,000-acre public-accessible section is located about 25-miles northeast of Harlingen via Routes 106 and 510.

Facilities. Indoor museum at visitor center, outdoor walking/bicycling paths, feeding/photo-stations near the center, drive-to alligator pond and large lakeside overlook, 15-mile drive-through wilderness loop.

Sightings. Raptors, osprey, hawks, birds of all kinds, alligators during warm weather, bobcats and other mammals, numerous plants, and cacti galore.

Hours/admission. Visitor center open 9am-5pm 7-days/week, closed Christmas Day; daily vehicle pass-$3. Free admission to those having national park pass.

2. Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge - Boca-Chica Tract.

Refuge is17,000 total acres located 25-miles east of Brownsville via Route 4. 10,680of it acres are accessible to the public.

Facilities. Tract has no restroom facilities or visitor center; has 22-mile drive-through (avoid driving into gated areas even if open) to the beach where motorized vehicles are allowed for combing, shelling, birding, photography, and other beach activity; remainder of tract is for foot traffic only. Overall tract has thorn scrub. forest edge, wetlands, coastal prairie, tidal flats, and sandy beach. Carry drinking water, insect repellents, and sun protection.

Sightings. Numerous plants and shore-loving and other birds, like, pelicans, gulls, falcons, plovers, egrets, gannets, oystercatchers, warblers and many other species; shells and sea-life washed onto shoreline.

Hours/admission. Office is combined with the one at the Santa Ana NWR below if needed; open sunrise-sunset; free to the public.

3. Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.

Refuge is 2088-acres of riparian forest (thick brush and subtropical trees). Park is 7-miles south of the town of Alamo on the Rio Grande River via FM-907.

Facilities. Large visitor center with indoor museum and innovative above-ground cisterns, limited weekend 7-mile drive-through to the remote sections of refuge, daily guided tram tours-$3,12-miles of walking paths, bicycling passage on the wildlife drives, towers, bridges, overlooks, several feeding/photo-stations.

Sightings. Numerous wildlife, including the bobcat, coyote, armadillo, javelina, weasel, Mexican ground squirrel, green jays, chachalaca, and butterflies among others.

Hours/admission. Visitor center open 8am-4pm 7-days/week year-round, closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New-Year holidays; daily vehicle pass at gate-$3, annual pass-$10. Free admission to those having national park pass.

For more information on these refuges, see the website below.