71-488: The National Elk Refuge is a Wildlife Refuge located in Jackson Hole in the U.S. state of Wyoming . It was created in 1912 to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for one of the largest elk (also known as wapiti ) herds. With a total of 24,700 acres (10,000 ha), the refuge borders the town of Jackson, Wyoming , on the southwest, Bridger-Teton National Forest on the east and Grand Teton National Park on
142-414: A nature park . Various jurisdictions may use other terminology, such as ecological protection area or private protected area in legislation and in official titles of the reserves. Cultural practices that roughly equate to the establishment and maintenance of reserved areas for animals date back to antiquity, with King Devanampiya Tissa of Sri Lanka establishing Mihintale wildlife sanctuary, one of
213-561: A Greater Yellowstone Coalition leader enlarged that to 20,000,000 acres (80,000 km ). In 1985 the United States House of Representatives Subcommittees on Public Lands and National Parks and Recreation held a joint subcommittee hearing on Greater Yellowstone, resulting in a 1986 report by the Congressional Research Service outlining shortcomings in inter-agency coordination and concluding that
284-467: A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1 December 1999. In Kosovo, there are 2 national parks , 11 nature reserves, 99 natural monuments and 3 protected landscapes . The national parks are Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park and Sharr Mountains National Park . As of 2011, Poland has 1469 nature reserves. Nature reserves are one of the 11 types of protected areas in Portugal. As of 2012, Portugal had
355-943: A federal government, Canada recognizes 55 National Wildlife Areas, containing species of ecological significance. This area is protected by legislation known as the Canada Wildlife Act, which is overseen by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. About half of the habitat is marine habitat, and the remainder is terrestrial habitat. Nature Conservancy Canada, Ducks Unlimited, and Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, among others, protect nature reserves in Canada as well. As part of Canada's Ecological Gifts Program, these charities protect wilderness on privately owned lands. There are 30 nature reserves in Egypt which cover 12% of Egyptian land. Those nature reserves were built according to
426-632: A general system for sanctuaries to follow. Among them, the American Sanctuary Association monitors and aids in various facilities to care for exotic wildlife. The number of sanctuaries has substantially increased over the past few years. In Australia , a nature reserve is the title of a type of protected area used in the jurisdictions of the Australian Capital Territory , New South Wales , Tasmania and Western Australia . The term "nature reserve"
497-405: A good long-term data set on the species, but they understand its ecology well enough to project declining future conservation status . A more immediate and serious threat to whitebark pines is an introduced fungal rust disease, White Pine Blister Rust ( Cronartium ribicola ), which is causing heavy mortality in the species. Occasional resistant individuals occur, but in the short to medium term,
568-473: A key component of the ecosystem, providing sustenance for predators. Other significant ungulate species include moose (Alces alces), pronghorn (Antilocapra americana), bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus). The GYE is home to a variety of birds, including iconic species like Bald Eagles , Golden Eagles and Peregrine Falcons . Osprey populations around Yellowstone Lake , have experienced declines, linked to
639-511: A minimum estimate of 236, but biologists think there may be as many as 1,000 bears in the ecosystem. Although the Greater Yellowstone population is relatively close to recovery goals, the plan's definition of recovery is controversial. Thus, even though the population may be stable or possibly increasing in the short term, in the longer term, continued habitat loss , climate change, and increasing human activities may well reverse
710-491: A population may be considered long-term by some, one of the important lessons of Greater Yellowstone management is that even half a century is not long enough to give a full idea of how a species may vary in its occupation of a wild ecosystem. The Yellowstone hot springs are important for their diversity of thermophilic bacteria. These bacteria have been useful in studies of the evolution of photosynthesis and as sources of thermostable enzymes for molecular biology . Although
781-408: A severe population decline is expected. Estimates of the decline of quaking aspen ( Populus tremuloides ) on the park's northern range since 1872 range from 50% to 95%. The decline has been linked to multiple stressors, such as defoliation by the forest tent caterpillar ( Malacosoma disstria ), aspen bark beetles ( Trypophloeus populi and Procryphalus mucronatus ), wood-boring beetles such as
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#1732765641154852-589: A significant area of petrified trees; the northeast corner was defined by the watershed of Pebble Creek; the eastern boundary included the headwaters of the Lamar River and part of the watershed of the Yellowstone River. In 1932, President Hoover issued an executive order that added more than 7,000 acres (2,800 ha) between the north boundary and the Yellowstone River, west of Gardiner. These lands provided winter range for elk and other ungulates. By
923-480: A significant management achievement, does not begin to restore the species' historical abundance. Also, they declined because of invasive lake trout. An aggressive lake trout removal program has caused the cutthroats to rebound. Early accounts of pronghorn ( Antilocapra americana ) in Greater Yellowstone described herds of hundreds seen ranging through most major river valleys . These populations were decimated by 1900, and declines continued among remaining herds. On
994-769: A total area of approximately 1,330 km (510 sq mi). Section 21 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 gives local authorities the exclusive statutory power to establish a local nature reserve in consultation with the SNH. The biosphere reserves of Iran have a total land area of 1.64 million km . The "reserves" support more than 8,000 recorded species of plants (almost 2,421 are endemic ), 502 species of birds , 164 species of mammals , 209 species of reptiles , and 375 species of butterflies . India 's 18 biospheres extend over
1065-656: A total of 46 protected areas, which represented 6,807.89 km (2,628.54 sq mi) of land and 463.94 km (179.13 sq mi) of marine surfaces. Among the protected areas, nine are classified as nature reserve ( Portuguese : reserva natural ). About 5.18% of the area of Romania has a protected status (12,360 km (4,770 sq mi)), including the Danube Delta , which makes up half of this area (2.43% of Romania's total area). There are 15 National Parks, and around 90 Natural Parks in Spain. Spain
1136-693: A total of 85,940 km (33,180 sq mi) and protect larger areas than typical national parks in other countries. The first national reserve of India was established in 1986. Israel 's national parks are declared historic sites or nature reserves, which are mostly operated and maintained by the National Nature and Parks Authority. As of 2019, Israel maintains more than 490 nature reserves that protect 2,500 species of indigenous wild plants, 20 species of fish, 530 species of birds and 70 species of mammals. In total, they cover 6,400 km (2,500 sq mi) of nature reserves, approximately 28% of
1207-630: A wildlife refuge since very few people live in the area. Wildlife has flourished in the zone since the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. South Africa is well known for its many nature reserves. The oldest nature reserve in the country (and oldest conservation area in the world) is the Groenkloof Nature Reserve that was established in 1892 in the capital city Pretoria in the old South African Republic and current Republic of South Africa. The country has many national parks but
1278-837: Is Rye Harbour Nature Reserve in East Sussex, where a network of footpaths enables visitors to explore shingle, saltmarsh, saline lagoon, reedbed, and grazing marsh habitats. Through the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 the Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) was established in 1992 as a government body, responsible to the Scottish Government Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament. At 31 March 2008, there were 65 Scottish national nature reserves with
1349-457: Is also protected, and hunting is not allowed, but products and by-products from research may be sold. Wildlife refuges in Brazil have as their objective the protection of natural flora and fauna where conditions are assured for the existence and reproduction of species or communities of the local flora and the resident or migratory fauna. The refuges can consist of privately owned land, as long as
1420-881: Is defined in the relevant statutes used in those states and territories rather than by a single national statute. As of 2016, 1767 out of a total of 11044 protected areas listed within the Australian National Reserve System used the term "nature reserve" in their names. In Brazil, nature reserves are classified by the National System of Nature Conservation Units as ecological stations ( Portuguese : estações ecológicas ) or biological reserves ( Portuguese : reservas biológicas ). Their main objectives are preserving fauna and flora and other natural attributes, excluding direct human interference. Visits are allowed only with permission, and only for educational or scientific purposes. Changes to
1491-419: Is reserved and managed for purposes of conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research . They may be designated by government institutions in some countries, or by private landowners, such as charities and research institutions . Nature reserves fall into different IUCN categories depending on the level of protection afforded by local laws. Normally it is more strictly protected than
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#17327656411541562-569: Is specifically defined in the Reserves Act to mean a reserve that prioritizes the protection of rare flora and fauna, to the extent that public access is by permit only. Some of these reserves include Ecological Islands , a comparatively new concept in wildlife preservation, pioneered in New Zealand to help rebuild the populations of nearly extinct birds, and other species that are heavily threatened by introduced predators. In Nicaragua ,
1633-624: Is the country with the most sites listed in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves . There are 4 biosphere reserves (two of them are dated 1927 and 1874) and 17 nature reserves in Ukraine, covering 160,000 ha (400,000 acres). Ukraine administers 40 national parks , 2632 habitat management areas, 3025 nature monuments, and 1430 other preservations. There are some differences between the regulations for England , Northern Ireland , Scotland and Wales , which are separately managed. At
1704-647: Is yet to be officially classified), and seven specific types of "reserve", each of which prioritize various degrees of protection to different amenities such as scenery, recreation, flora and fauna, scientific value, or history. Land is often sub-categorised beneath its general classification, as defined in law between the Reserves Act of 1977 , the National Parks Act of 1980 , and the Conservation Act of 1987 . Under these classifications,
1775-470: The Department of Conservation administers more than 80,000 square kilometres (31,000 sq mi)—nearly 30% of the nation's total area—with at least some degree of protection. This land is composed of 14 National Parks, 30 Conservation Parks, and approximately 8,900 discrete areas of land in total. Although the most public land is strongly protected for natural preservation, the term nature reserve
1846-651: The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) is in charge of environmental protection and of the study, planning, and management of Nicaragua's natural resources. Nearly one-fifth of the territory is designated as protected areas like national parks, nature reserves (including the Bosawás Biosphere Reserve ), and biological reserves. Nicaragua has 78 protected areas that cover 22,422 km (8,657 sq mi), about 17.3% of
1917-545: The Yellowstone Caldera 'hotspot' are within it. The area is a flagship site among conservation groups that promote ecosystem management . The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) is one of the world's foremost natural laboratories in landscape ecology and Holocene geology , and is a world-renowned recreational destination. It is also home to the diverse native plants and animals of Yellowstone . Yellowstone National Park boundaries were drawn in 1872 with
1988-471: The poplar borer ( Saperda calcarata ) and the bronze poplar borer ( Agrilus liragus ), fungal disturbances such as those by the Cytospora canker ( Valsa sordida ), and Climate change related stressors. Anecdotal information on grizzly bear abundance dates to the mid-19th century, and administrators have made informal population estimates for more than 70 years. From these sources, ecologists know
2059-400: The 1970s, the grizzly bear 's ( Ursus arctos ) range in and near the park became the first informal minimum boundary of a theoretical "Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem" that included at least 4,000,000 acres (16,000 km ). Since then, definitions of the greater ecosystem's size have steadily grown larger. A 1994 study listed the size as 19,000,000 acres (76,890 km ), while a 1994 speech by
2130-581: The British established the Yob Wildlife Reserve in northern Eritrea specifically to protect significant populations of Nubian ibex in the area. Denmark has three national parks and several nature reserves, some of them inside the national park areas. The largest single reserve is Hanstholm Nature Reserve, which covers 40 km (9,900 acres) and is part of Thy National Park . In Sweden , there are 30 national parks . The first of them
2201-549: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The GYE is home to some of North America's most iconic wildlife. The ecosystem supports the largest free-roaming herds of American bison (Bison bison) on public land, a species central to the region's ecological balance. Grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) and gray wolves (Canis lupus) are apex predators that play crucial roles in regulating prey populations. Elk (Cervus canadensis) are abundant and form
National Elk Refuge - Misplaced Pages Continue
2272-571: The United States is Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge and was established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 as part of his Square Deal campaign to improve the country. At the time, setting aside land for wildlife was not a constitutional right of the president. In 2006, a bi-partisan group of US House of Representatives members established the Congressional Wildlife Refuge Caucus to further support
2343-642: The ancient world. According to stone inscriptions found in the vicinity, the king commanded the people not to harm animals or destroy trees within the area. In the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , managed by the Secretary of the Interior , is responsible for managing many of the federal nature reserves including the National Wildlife Refuge System . The National Wildlife Refuge System includes areas administered for
2414-598: The area's essential values were at risk. Federally managed areas within the GYE include: Ten distinct National Wilderness Areas have been established within the GYE's National Forests since 1966, mandating a higher level of habitat protection than the USFS otherwise uses. The GYE also encompasses some privately held and state lands surrounding those managed by the U.S. Government. The Trust for Public Land has protected 67,000 acres (27,000 ha) over about 40 projects in
2485-809: The best-known is the Kruger National Park , which was announced in 1898, and is the largest, at nearly 2,000,000 ha (20,000 km ). The Kruger Park and Table Mountain National Park are two of South Africa's most visited tourist attractions, along with the Addo Elephant National Park . South Africa also has 10 World Heritage Sites , including four natural sites and one mixed site. And it has provincial game reserves including Shamwari , Londolozi , Sanbona and Lalibela. The country currently has 20 national parks covering 3,700,000 ha (37,000 km ), about 3% of
2556-908: The country's land area. In 1984, the two areas with the highest number of nature reserves were the South (15.2%) and Samaria (the Shomron, 13.5%). Under the Nature Conservation Law, places can be designated as 'wilderness areas', 'nature conservation areas' and 'prefectural nature conservation areas'. In 1995, when the Japanese Government published its information in English, there were 5 wilderness areas, 10 nature conservation areas and 516 prefectural nature conservation areas. There are seven nature reserves in Jordan . In 1966
2627-646: The country's total area. A few of them predate the October Revolution of 1917, but most have been created during the Soviet Union era. There are also natural protected areas where only certain species are protected, or only certain activities are prohibited; those are known as zakaznik (Russian: заказник ). Unofficial sanctuaries can also occur as a result of human accidents; the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone has in practice become
2698-530: The decrease in Cutthroat Trout. Several bird species act as keystone species within the GYE. For example, the Clark's Nutcracker plays a crucial role in the dispersal of the all-important Whitebark Pine seeds. Ecological management has been most often advanced through concerns over individual species rather than over broader ecological principles. Though 20 or 30 or even 50 years of information on
2769-424: The ecosystems in both types of reserve are allowed to restore and preserve the natural balance, biological diversity and natural ecological processes. Ecological stations are also allowed to change the environment within strictly defined limits (e.g. affecting no more than three percent of the area or 1,500 hectares (3,700 acres), whichever is less) for the purpose of scientific research. A wildlife reserve in Brazil
2840-709: The end of March 2004, there were 215 national nature reserves in England with a total area of 879 km (339 sq mi). The reserves are scattered through England, from Lindisfarne in Northumberland to The Lizard in Cornwall . Nearly every rural county has at least one. Many national nature reserves contain nationally important populations of rare flowers , ferns and mosses , butterflies and other insects , and nesting and wintering birds . Examples include unique alpine plants at Upper Teesdale and
2911-504: The field of snake's head fritillaries at North Meadow, Cricklade , Wiltshire . There are now over 1,050 local nature reserves in England. They range from windswept coastal headlands, ancient woodlands and flower-rich meadows to former inner-city railways, long-abandoned landfill sites and industrial areas now re-colonized by wildlife. In total, they cover almost 40,000 ha (99,000 acres)—a natural resource which makes an important contribution to England's biodiversity . A good example
National Elk Refuge - Misplaced Pages Continue
2982-424: The grasses to maintain maximum natural food supply. Ten to eleven thousand pounds (4,500 to 5,000 kg) of antlers are auctioned each year. The increase in value has resulted in a commensurate rise in antler theft, and the 2017 auction set a new record price of $ 18.79/lb. The refuge also provides horse drawn sleigh rides to the public during the winter months so that visitors have the opportunity to see portions of
3053-508: The herd up close. The furthest consistent migration of elk to the refuge is currently from the southern portion of Yellowstone National Park, making it the second-longest ungulate migration in the lower 48 states. (The migration of pronghorn between the Green River basin and Jackson Hole is longer). The refuge is nearly 25,000 acres (10,000 ha) of meadows and marshes along the valley floor, sagebrush and rock outcroppings along
3124-457: The hostile climate and lack of food supply, in addition to hunting pressures by both homesteaders and surrounding Native American tribes ( Bannock , Eastern Shoshone , Northern Shoshone , Crow , Salish ). A movement to protect the remaining herd and establish greater numbers was commenced in the early 1900s. When the Miller homestead was sold for $ 45,000 to the federal government, the refuge
3195-482: The intent to include all the known geothermal basins in the region . As landscape ecology considerations were not incorporated into original boundary, revisions were suggested to conform more closely to natural topographic features, such as the ridgeline of the Absaroka Range along the east boundary. In 1929, President Hoover signed the first bill changing the park's boundaries: The northwest corner now included
3266-585: The largest total areas being in Bavaria with 1,416 km (547 sq mi) and Lower Saxony with 1,275 km (492 sq mi). In Hungary, there are 10 national parks , more than 15 nature reserves and more than 250 protected areas. Hortobágy National Park is the largest continuous natural grassland in Europe and the oldest national park in Hungary. It is situated on the eastern part of Hungary, on
3337-564: The laws no. 102/1983 and 4/1994 for protection of the Egyptian nature reserve. Egypt announced a plan from to build 40 nature reserves from 1997 to 2017, to help protect the natural resources and the culture and history of those areas. The largest nature reserve in Egypt is Gebel Elba (35,600 square kilometres (13,700 sq mi)) in the southeast, on the Red Sea coast. On 16 March 1959,
3408-504: The mountain foothills. The largest single herd of bison under federal management, comprising 1,000 plus individuals, also winter on the refuge. Bighorn sheep , along with pronghorn , mule deer can be found. Rare sightings of wolf packs and grizzly bears have occurred, while coyotes and red foxes are more common. The most abundant birds include red-winged blackbirds , magpies , crows and ravens , along with trumpeter swans , which can be found along Flat Creek, which flows out of
3479-549: The nation's landmass. Private nature reserves exist with land excluded from private land trusts and maintained at the sole cost of the proprietor. For example, O Parks, WildLife, and Recreation, Or El Ostional Private Wildlife Reserve, was established within the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor by retired FDNY firefighter Kevin Michael Shea, who purchased 46 acres (0.19 km ) of land for
3550-673: The needs of the National Wildlife Refuge System in Congress . Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) is one of the last remaining large, nearly intact ecosystems in the northern temperate zone of the Earth . It is located within the northern Rocky Mountains , in areas of northwestern Wyoming , southwestern Montana , and eastern Idaho , and is about 22 million acres (89,000 km ). Yellowstone National Park and
3621-535: The north. It is home to an average of 7,500 elk each winter. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service , an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior . The refuge's elk migrate from as far away as southern Yellowstone National Park . Historically, they migrated to the present location of the refuge and further south into southwestern Wyoming during the fall, wintering on grassy plains that were both sheltered from weather and that maintained less snowfall or snow depth than surrounding lands. During
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#17327656411543692-557: The objectives of the unit are compatible with the landowners' usage of the land and natural resources. Public visits are subject to the conditions and restrictions established by the management plan of the unit and are subject to authorisation by and regulations of the main administrative and scientific research body. The Niagara Escarpment and the St. Lawrence River in Ontario are among the 18 nature reserves recognized by UNESCO in Canada. As
3763-563: The organization that would later start Jordan's nature reserves, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature , was founded. RSCN's first efforts involved bringing back severely endangered species. In 1973, RSCN was given the right to issue hunting licenses, giving RSCN an upper hand in preventing extinction. The first step was the founding of Jordan's first nature reserve, Shaumari Wildlife Reserve , in 1975. The primary purpose
3834-617: The park's northern range, pronghorn declined from 500 to 700 in the 1930s to about 122 in 1968. By 1992 the herd had increased to 536. The park is a commonly cited example of apex predators affecting an ecosystem through a trophic cascade . After the reintroduction of the gray wolf in 1995, researchers noticed drastic changes occurring. Elk , the primary prey of the gray wolf, became less abundant and changed their behavior, freeing riparian zones from constant grazing. The respite allowed willows and aspens to grow, creating habitat for beaver , moose , and scores of other species. In addition to
3905-585: The plain of the Alföld. It was established in 1972. There are alkaline grasslands interrupted by marshes. They have a sizable importance because there are the fishponds. One of the most spectacular sights of the park is the autumn migration of cranes. Some famous Hungarian animal species live in Hortobágy National Park, such as the grey cattle, racka long-wool sheep living only in Hungary, Hungarian horses and buffalo. Hortobágy National Park has been
3976-499: The protection and conservation of fish and wildlife that are threatened with extinction, as well as wildlife ranges, game ranges, wildlife management areas, and waterfowl production areas. The first North American wildlife refuge, Lake Merritt Wildlife sanctuary at Lake Merritt , was established by Samuel Merritt and enacted in California state law in 1870 as the first government owned refuge. The first federally owned refuge in
4047-531: The purpose of restoring the ecological system of a dry tropical forest , ravaged during the Nicaraguan Revolution . The park provides a private nature reserve, wildlife corridor and verified carbon credits . There are around 100 nature reserves ( Russian : заповедник , romanized : zapovednik ) in Russia, covering some 330,000 km (130,000 sq mi), or about 1.4% of
4118-485: The refuge south into the town of Jackson. A total of 47 mammal species and 147 bird species have been documented on the refuge. The refuge has a lower elevation and much milder climate than the rest of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem , which is why so many animals are drawn to winter on it. Most of it is snow-covered from November until March. Snowfalls are followed by sunny days, when some of
4189-495: The smell of sulfur is common and there are some sulfur fixing cyanobacteria , it has been found that hydrogen is being used as an energy source by extremophile microbes . Among native plants of the GYE, whitebark pine ( Pinus albicaulis ) is a species of special interest, in large part because of its seasonal importance to grizzly bears, but also because its distribution could be dramatically reduced by relatively minor global warming . In this case, researchers do not have
4260-423: The snow melts temporarily. South-facing slopes are free of snow for most of the winter. Wildlife refuge A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge , wildlife sanctuary , biosphere reserve or bioreserve , natural or nature preserve , or nature conservation area ) is a protected area of importance for flora , fauna , funga , or features of geological or other special interest, which
4331-399: The species was common in Greater Yellowstone when Europeans arrived and that the population was not isolated before the 1930s, but is now. Researchers do not know if bears were more or less common than now. A 1959-1970 bear study suggested a grizzly bear population size of about 176, later revised to about 229. Later estimates have ranged as low as 136 and as high as 540; the most recent is
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#17327656411544402-489: The spring, the herd would follow the retreating snows and growing grasses back into the Yellowstone National Park region. The original size of the elk herd has been estimated to have been in excess of 25,000. By the end of the 19th century, the town of Jackson had developed on important winter range, blocking off some of the migration routes used by the elk. The elk herd was severely reduced in size due to
4473-468: The total area of South Africa. The Prince Edward Islands , which are South African territories in the Southern Ocean , have been declared a special nature reserve. It is a highly protected area from which all human activity is excluded, except for conservation and scientific research. The area around Mihintale , Sri Lanka , was a sanctuary for wildlife, probably the first of its generation in
4544-507: The trend. Yellowstone cutthroat trout ( Oncorhynchus clarki bouvieri ) have suffered considerable declines since European settlement, but recently began flourishing in some areas. Especially in Yellowstone Lake itself, long-term records indicate an almost remarkable restoration of robust populations from only three decades ago when the numbers of this fish were depleted because of excessive harvest. Its current recovery, though
4615-441: The world's earliest wildlife sanctuaries , in the 3rd-century-BC Anuradhapura Ancient Kingdom. Early reservations often had a religious underpinning, such as the 'evil forest' areas of West Africa which were forbidden to humans, who were threatened with spiritual attack if they went there. Sacred areas taboo from human entry to fishing and hunting are known by many ancient cultures worldwide. The world's first modern nature reserve
4686-627: Was Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States , followed by the Royal National Park near Sydney , Australia, and the Barguzin Nature Reserve of Imperial Russia , the first of zapovedniks set up by a federal government entirely for the scientific study of nature. There are several national and international organizations that oversee the numerous non-profit animal sanctuaries and refuges to provide
4757-505: Was described by David Attenborough as "one of the first people anywhere to recognise not only that the natural world was of great importance but that it needed protection as humanity made more and more demands on it". Drachenfels was protected as the first state-designated nature reserve in modern-day Germany; the site was bought by the Prussian State in 1836 to protect it from further quarrying. The first major nature reserve
4828-575: Was established in 1821 by the naturalist and explorer Charles Waterton around his estate in Walton Hall, West Yorkshire . He spent £9000 on the construction of a three-mile long, 9 ft tall wall to enclose his park against poachers . He tried to encourage bird life by planting trees and hollowing out trunks for owls to nest in. Waterton invented artificial nest boxes to house starlings , western jackdaws and sand martins ; and unsuccessfully attempted to introduce little owls from Italy. Waterton allowed local people access to his reserve and
4899-641: Was established in 1909. There are almost 4,000 nature reserves in Sweden. They comprise about 85% of the surface that is protected by the Swedish Environmental Code. In Estonia, there are five national parks , more than 100 nature reserves, and around 130 landscape protection areas. The largest nature reserve in Estonia is Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve , which covers 342 km (85,000 acres). As of 2017, France counts 10 national parks , around 50 regional nature parks , and 8 marine parks . In 1995 Germany had 5,314 nature reserves ( German : Naturschutzgebiete ) covering 6,845 km (2,643 sq mi),
4970-435: Was established. The elk herd survives the hard winters of Jackson Hole through a supplementary feeding program and a lottery-based, permitted hunting program. The elk have antlers which are shed each year- the Boy Scouts of America have been collecting the antlers under permit since 1968 and selling them at auction, under agreement that 75% of the proceeds are returned to the refuge, where they are used for irrigation of
5041-502: Was to create means to breed endangered species, specifically: the Arabian oryx , gazelles , ostriches , and Persian onagers in their natural environment. By the end of 2009 there were 10 nature reserves ( Kyrgyz : корук , koruk ) in Kyrgyzstan covering 600,000 hectares (6,000 km ) or about three percent of the total area of the country. New Zealand has a variety of types of reserve, including national parks , various types of conservation areas (including stewardship land that
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