The refuge was established in 1974 to protect the significant natural, historical, and cultural resources from the impending threats of development. Egmont Key NWR, located on a remote 250 acre island situated at the mouth of Tampa Bay, provides important habitat for nesting sea turtles, gopher tortoises, over 30,000 nesting pairs of birds, and other wildlife. Bird sanctuaries at the south end of the island make up about 1/3 of Egmont Key, with approximately 97 acres set aside for wildlife to rest, nest, and feed.
Closure Notice

Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge is closed until further notice due to storm damage and public safety concerns.

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      About Us

      Egmont Key NWR was designated as a national wildlife refuge in 1974. Egmont Key is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
      A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

      Learn more about national wildlife refuge       to protect the island’s diverse natural, cultural, and historical features. Egmont Key is also cooperatively managed as a unit of the Florida Park Service as Egmont Key State Park. Egmont Key is on the National Register of Historic Places for playing a prominent role in Florida’s Seminole Indian Wars, the Civil War, and the Spanish-American War.

      What We Do

      Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the National Wildlife Refuge System. It drives everything on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands and waters managed within the Refuge System, from the purposes for which a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
      A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service  for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

      Learn more about national wildlife refuge       is established to the recreational activities offered to the resource management tools used. Using conservation best practices, the Refuge System manages Service lands and waters to help ensure the survival of native wildlife species.   

      Our Species

      Projects and Research

      Staff monitors bird populations and collects and records observational data. Florida Park Service monitors sea turtle nesting sites. Other research projects include studying gopher tortoises, box turtles, and beach erosion.