Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge - Natural History

Natural History

Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge is along the southern-most portion of the lower Mississippi River, which does not have levees. It floods in most years. The refuge is home to many fish, wildlife and plant resources. The forested wetlands of the refuge are home to the federally listed Louisiana black bear. The Mississippi River is a major bird migration corridor: the refuge is located within an area of high importance for neotropical migratory birds, including the swallow-tailed kite, which is a species of special concern. Other wildlife found in the area include white-tailed deer, bobcat, mink, river otter, wild turkey, black-crowned night-heron, wood duck, blue-winged teal, woodcock, solitary sandpiper, greater yellowlegs, prothonotary warbler, northern parula, pileated woodpecker, green treefrog, and red-eared slider.

Several habitat types including overcup oak-bitter pecan, hackberry-elm-ash, nuttall oak-ash-sweetgum, and shrub-scrub swamp occur on the refuge. The most unique type is old growth baldcypress-tupelo. Many of the baldcypress trees are estimated to be 500 to 1,000 years old. The National Champion baldcypress, which is the largest tree of any species east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, is found in the refuge. The National Champion baldcypress tree is located 4.8 miles (7.7 km) from the entrance gate of the refuge.