Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge

Welcome to Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge located near Savannah, Georgia. Refuge History: In 1800, the U.S. Navy purchased the land that is now Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge in order to harvest the islands timber to build it’s fleet. In 1924, the Bureau of Biological Survey Took over maintenance of the island as a bird refuge. In 1940, Presidential Proclamation changed it from Blackbeard Island Reservation to Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge. In 1975, Congress designated 3,000 of the islands acres as a Wilderness Area. The island was named after Blackbeard the Pirate. Wildlife: The dunes, forests, marshes, and beaches of Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge help protect the home of numerous wild critters including alligators, sea turtles, deer, and bald eagles. Please treat their home with respect. For the lover of the outdoors Blackbeard Island boasts hiking trails, archery hunts, and ponds and creeks stocked with fish. Come on out and have a blast!