Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge
Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge | |
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IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
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Location | Manatee County, Florida, United States |
Nearest city | Anna Maria, Florida |
Coordinates | 27°33′20″N 82°44′35″W / 27.55556°N 82.74306°WCoordinates: 27°33′20″N 82°44′35″W / 27.55556°N 82.74306°W |
Area | 64 acres (260,000 m2) |
Established | 1905 |
Governing body | US Fish & Wildlife Service |
The Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located offshore from St. Petersburg. The 64-acre (260,000 m2) refuge was established in 1905. It is one of the three 'Tampa Bay Refuges', and is administered as a part of the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge Complex.
The Passage Key Wilderness Area is part of the refuge, and consists of 36.37 acres (or 56.9%) of its total area. It was established in 1970, to protect native birds and serve as a breeding ground for them.
Passage Key has suffered substantial shoaling in recent years, and is currently reduced to a small sandbar approximately 100 yards (91 m) long at high tide. Passage Key has been a popular destination for nudists for several years.