Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge - Wildlife and Habitat

Wildlife and Habitat

The refuge is encompassed within 1,500,000 acres (6,100 km2) of hardwood swamps, lakes and bayous. The natural floodplain of the Atchafalaya River flows for 140 miles (230 km) south from its junction with the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The basin's dense bottomland hardwoods, Bald Cypress-Tupelo swamps, overflow lakes, and meandering bayous provide a tremendous diversity of habitat for more than 200 species of resident and migratory birds and numerous other wildlife and the area has been recognized as an Internationally Important Bird Area.

The basin's wooded wetlands also provide vital nesting habitat for Wood Duck, and support the nation's largest concentration of American Woodcock. Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Swallow-tailed Kites, and Mississippi Kites can occasionally be seen soaring overhead. Wild Turkeys, White-tailed deer, Eastern Gray and Fox Squirrels, Eastern Cottontail, Swamp Rabbit, Gray and Red Fox, Coyote, Striped Skunk, and Virginia Opossum inhabit the refuge, as do a small remnant population of Louisiana Black Bears. Furbearers found in this great swamp are Raccoon, Mink, Bobcat, Coypu, Muskrat, North American River Otter, and American Beaver.

The lifeblood of the fishery is the basin's annual flooding and dewatering cycle. Overflows occur during the winter and spring rains, with many areas gradually becoming dewatered during the summer and fall. Sportfishing is popular throughout the basin. Largemouth bass, White crappie, Black crappie, Warmouth, Bluegill, Redear sunfish, and Channel catfish are the primary species sought. More than 85 species of fish occur in the basin, and their populations frequently exceed 1,000 pounds per acre (100 g/m²). Red Swamp and White River Crayfish are also important for both a sport and commercial harvest.