Montezuma Wildlife Refuge
Families may have seen Montezuma from a distance while driving east on the New York State Thruway and wondered what it was all about. Why not make this the year you find out? According to Visitor Services Manager Andrea VanBeusichem, the refuge was established in 1938 in response to a significant change in the landscape which impacted many native species. Connecting Seneca and Cayuga lakes to the Erie Canal changed the hydrology of the area, draining away most of the water and forcing wildlife and birds to seek out new homes. In response to this, the National Park Service purchased the nearly seven thousand acres that is now Montezuma and restored the area to its natural state.
Montezuma offers one of the best chances to see Bald Eagles in the wild and there’s a map in the Visitor Center marking their locations. The eagles sit on their nests in the early spring and the young eaglets will evolve into fledglings during summer, an inspirational sight for people of all ages!
Fill your summer, visit our complete Best Summer Ever List, or see our daily calendar of events.
Views: 0
