CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is best known as the home of the last wild flock of endangered whooping cranes, and now, that breeding ground is expanding.
The Department of the Interior announced Tuesday the expansion of four existing national wildlife refuge locations to help conserve habitat, protect species and support recreation.
All of that will allow for the conservation of up to 1.13 million acres of wildlife habitat in New Mexico, North Carolina and Texas.
3NEWS spoke with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Director Martha Williams about what this expansion means for the species who call the area home.
"It means their very existence. These refuges were created to protect birds to begin with, and we might not even have whooping cranes now were it not for these important refuges."
"This is really a community effort, and we feel so honored to be part of leaving this lasting legacy for Texas and other states going forward."
She says when you give nature a second chance it benefits everyone, and she encourages us all to use and enjoy these spaces alongside our beautiful wildlife.
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