2015 Cocoa Beach Visitor's Guide

The Merritt Island National Wildlife
Refuge spans over 140,000 acres.
A wide variety of habitats exist on
MERRITT ISLAND
NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE
Refuge roads, trails, and
boat ramps open daily,
sunrise to sunset
Visitor Center opens
daily, 9am - 4pm
321-861-0067
FWS.gov/merrittisland
the refuge, ranging from freshwater
impoundments to vast saltwater
estuaries. The refuge is home to seven
distinct habitats which provide for
over 330 species of birds, 31 species
of mammals, 117 species of fish, 68
species of amphibians and reptiles
and over 1,000 species of plants.
The refuge also supports 16 wildlife
species listed as federally threatened
or endangered.
The most productive and diversified
areas of the refuge are the marshes.
These shallow water grasslands
provide a home for crabs, worms, clams and fish, which attract animals
higher in the food chain such as birds, river otters, American alligators
and raccoons. Refuge marshes attract hundreds of thousands of
migratory birds every year. The refuge also serves as one of the most
important sea turtle nesting sites in the United States, averaging over
1300 loggerhead nests each year.
Recreational opportunities offered at the Refuge include bird and
wildlife observation, a wildlife drive, manatee observation deck, fishing
and hunting opportunities, and boating and paddling.
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