This refuge is closed to the public
Due to the sensitive nature of its habitat, Caloosahatchie National Wildlife Refuge is closed to the public, open for wildlife.
The refuge was established by President Woodrow Wilson on July 1, 1920 as a ". . . preserve and breeding ground for native birds." Originally, the Caloosahatchee National Wildlife Refuge consisted of several mangrove islands. Today, shoreline development, dredging of the river, and construction of the I-75 bridge has changed the physical arrangement and appearance of these islands.