Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge

The Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located along a twenty mile (30 km) section of coastline from Melbourne Beach to Wabasso Beach, Florida along State Road A1A. The 900 acre (3.6 km2) refuge was established in 1991, to protect the Loggerhead and Green sea turtles. It is administered as part of the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, through a partnership with the Caribbean Conservation Corporation (a nonprofit turtle conservation group founded by Dr. Archie Carr himself) and Archie Carr Working Group.The refuge provides nesting habitats for approximately one-fourth of all sea turtles nesting in the United States. About 15,000-20,000 sea turtles nests are laid annually, mostly loggerheads, green sea turtles, and some leatherbacks. The refuge also provides habitat for several other threatened and endangered species.Three centers within the sanctuary are run by Brevard County under the aegis of the restrictions established by the federal government.Conservation EffortsArchie Carr NWR is threatened by the ongoing phenomena of sea level rise. Scientists and researchers are studying the impacts of SLR on this unique ecosystem.