MULESHOE, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) – The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently announced that a plan was finalized for expanding the acquisition boundary for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, the oldest national wildlife refuge in Texas, by up to 700,000 acres to support native and migratory species such as the sandhill crane, the pronghorn and lesser prairie chicken.

According to the department, within the new limited acquisition boundary for the refuge, which is located in the Southern High Plains region along the Texas-New Mexico border, officials will work with willing sellers to expand conservation efforts through fee title and easement acquisitions.

“This plan is a critical step in protecting the future of the Southern High Plains for iconic species like the sandhill crane and lesser prairie-chicken,” said Amy Lueders, the Service’s Southwest Regional Director. “These vast grassland landscapes provide essential habitat for wildlife while also providing benefits like clean water filtration and carbon sequestration, which are essential for both the environment and human well-being.”

As noted by the department, the region is part of the Central Grasslands of the continent, which spans more than 700 million acres across Indigenous nations, Canada, the United States, and Mexico. However, much of the grasslands have been lost through the impacts of energy development, habitat fragmentation, aquifer decline and subsequent shrinking of wetland habitats.

The area around the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge, as previously reported on MyHighPlains.com, is part of the Texas Panhandle and High Plains region, which is home to the highest density of playa lakes on the continent. These lakes, while commonly at risk from industrial and agricultural development, are “refueling points” for an extensive number of cranes, waterfowl, and shorebirds. They also serve as recharging points for the Ogallala Aquifer system, which supplies much of the water for habitats and communities across the High Plains.

In particular, the City of Muleshoe noted that the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge hosts one of the largest concentrations of sandhill cranes on the continent and has a refuge bird list of more than 280 species.

“At times Golden Eagles as well as an occasional Bald Eagle take up residence at the refuge. Great Horned Owls and Burrowing Owls can be seen year-round,” described the city, “Prairie dogs and prairie rattle-snakes, common to the area, are abundant in the draws northeast of the refuge headquarters. Other area mammals include: porcupines, badgers, bobcats, and coyotes and are most likely seen in the evening hours.”

The FWS said that the expanded limited acquisition boundary will help better position the conservation community to address the current and future needs of the wildlife and wildlife habitat in the region as conservation opportunities appear. The boundary will guide future refuge acquisitions, said FWS, and includes priority areas where conservation efforts will have the highest anticipated benefit to wildlife and habitat.

The full Final Land Protection Plan & Environmental Assessment for the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge can be found here, with further information on the FWS website.