Because of its unique location, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge is one of the most important wildlife areas in the United States. Louisiana's position at the southernmost end of the vast Mississippi Flyway enables the state to serve as a wintering home for waterfowl from northern nesting grounds. The refuge plays host to hundreds of thousands of ducks, geese, coots, and numerous wading birds each year. It also serves as a resting area for many of the transient birds that winter in Central and South America. The refuge serves as a very important fisheries nursery area for the southwest Louisiana coast, and it has played a pivotal role in the ecological well-being of the American alligator and all the species sharing its habitat.
The Research that Led to the Alligator Management Program
Research done by scientists at Rockefeller helped with the recovery of wild populations. In the 1960s the wild population was estimated to be less than 100,000. Today there are well over a million wild alligators in the state of Louisiana. Scientists such as Ted Joanen, Larry McNease, Ruth Elsey, and Mark Staton studied the diet and breeding habits of alligators and developed the guidelines for alligator farming.
Here's how the farming/ranching system works in Louisiana. Alligator eggs are collected from the wild and hatched on farms. These alligators are raised under ideal conditions. To the right is a photograph of a seven month old farmed alligator next to a seven month old wild alligator. The farmed alligator is about three times as long (and much heavier) than the wild alligator.
Here's how the farming/ranching system works in Louisiana. Alligator eggs are collected from the wild and hatched on farms. These alligators are raised under ideal conditions. To the right is a photograph of a seven month old farmed alligator next to a seven month old wild alligator. The farmed alligator is about three times as long (and much heavier) than the wild alligator.
Farmers are required to return 10%, calculated by the number of eggs that hatched, of their large, healthy alligators to the original wetlands. This quota is within the range of the natural survival rate. Over the past 30 to 40 years the wild population has increased due to careful management.
Returned alligators have a notch removed from the tail for identification. This allows scientists to do follow-up research on farmed returns. Feeding research shows that farmed alligators returned to the wild eat larger prey earlier than wild alligators and continue to grow faster than wild alligators.
Returned alligators have a notch removed from the tail for identification. This allows scientists to do follow-up research on farmed returns. Feeding research shows that farmed alligators returned to the wild eat larger prey earlier than wild alligators and continue to grow faster than wild alligators.
A Refuge to Many Species
Year round residents such as nutria, muskrat, raccoons, otters, mink, and deer are in good numbers in the area.
