Håfa adai and welcome to the Guam National Wildlife Refuge! Part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, the Guam National Wildlife Refuge is a sanctuary for many species that are native and endemic to Guam.
RITIDIAN BEACH STATUS: CLOSED

The Guam National Wildlife Refuge, including Ritidian Beach, is closed Sunday, December 22 due to hazardous ocean conditions. High surf and rip current advisories are currently in effect. For updates on weather advisories from the National Weather Service, call 211 or visit www.weather.gov/gum. We will also be closed Wednesday, December 25 in observance of Christmas (a federal holiday). For other inquiries, call 671-355-5096 or email ritidian@fws.gov. 

Normal operational hours will resume Thursday, December 26. We are normally open Wednesday to Sunday from 7:30am to 4:00pm. We are closed every Monday & Tuesday, federal holidays, and during hazardous ocean conditions. Updated 12/22/2024.

Visit Us

Guam’s native wildlife flourish in the native limestone and coastal forests and sea creatures are bountiful in the tropical blue waters. Visitors seek out the beauty and tranquility provided and enjoy seeing and learning about wildlife. The Refuge is a vital link between Guam’s cultural and natural heritage, a vibrant reminder of the place nature holds in all our lives and a treasure for future generations.

Location and Contact Information

      REFUGE NEW FACILITIES SURVEY AND ACCESS UPDATES
      UPDATE FROM 10/31/2024 - NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY
      DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
      DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT (EA) FOR CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE AT THE GUAM NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, RITIDIAN UNIT

      The U.S. Marine Corps, with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a Cooperating Agency, has prepared a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the public comment period already closed. The proposed action is construction of new U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) facilities and associated infrastructure at the Ritidian Unit of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge. New DOI facilities are required to replace existing facilities that fall within a U.S. Marine Corps live fire training range safety zone that overlays a portion of the Refuge. The Marine Corps anticipates the project would result in less than significant impacts on the quality of the human or natural environment.

      The public comment period for this proposed rule has CLOSED. 

      The analysis of the environmental effects and findings of the Draft EA can be found here:https://pacific.navfac.navy.mil/About-Us/National-Environmental-Policy-Act-NEPA-Information. Printed copies are also available for viewing at the following locations: Dededo Public Library and the Nieves M. Flores Memorial Library.

      The U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service held a joint informational meeting on Thursday September 12, 2024 from 5 to 8 pm ChST at the Dededo Community Senior Center (319 Iglesia Circle, Dededo). The public meeting was an open house with poster stations staffed by project representatives who provided information and answered questions. Public comments were accepted during the meeting.
      OTHER UPDATES:

      As a national defense priority, the U.S. Navy is establishing a new live fire training range complex at Anderson Air Force Base. As the complex’s surface danger zone (SDZ) overlays a portion of the Ritidian Unit of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge (GNWR), the U.S. Departments of Navy and the Interior were mandated by law (FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act, Public Law No. 113-291) to relocate existing refuge facilities on the Ritidian Unit of the Guam National Wildlife Refuge.

      Headquarters Marine Corps is conducting initial survey work and developing an Environmental Assessment to analyze the potential environmental effects of the proposed construction of replacement facilities, infrastructure, and access at the Ritidian Unit. GNWR staff are working with the Marine Corps to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential adverse effects to these historic properties through avoidance and site design.

      For the safety of visitors to Ritidian, it is anticipated that access to public areas may be affected until survey work is complete in mid-2025. Please continue to monitor the Guam National Wildlife Refuge’s website for additional information during this period. Specific information of the survey work, and refuge access areas impacted can be found on this infographic.

      All questions regarding survey work should be directed to the Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Communication Strategy and Operations Office at (671) 362-7371 or diann.rosenfeld.mil@usmc.mil.

      About Us

      The Guam National Wildlife Refuge is located on the island of Guam, an unincorporated U.S. Territory. Guam is the largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Archipelago, situated in the western Pacific Ocean, approximately 3,800 miles west of Honolulu and 1,500 miles south of Tokyo.

      What We Do

      The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge system. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established, to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use, and the special use permits authorized. Selecting the right tools helps us ensure the survival of local plants and animals and helps fulfill the purpose of the refuge. Follow the link to find out more about the Refuge's Comprehensive Conservation Plan, applying for a Special Use Permit, and learning about the Laws and Regulations that govern National Wildlife Refuges.

      Our Species

      The Guam National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for the last remaining populations of the endangered Mariana fruit bat, Mariana crow, and the Serianthes nelsonii tree. The Ritidian Unit is an active sea turtle nesting area. 

      A black and brown tropical bat climbing through brush

      The Mariana fruit bat is a medium-sized fruit bat in the family Pteropididae that weighs 0.66 to 1.15 pounds (330 to 577 grams) and has a forearm length ranging from 5.3 to 6.1 in (13.4 to 15.6 cm); males are slightly larger than females. The underside (abdomen) is colored black to brown, with...

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      Animalia
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      Cycas micronesica, a member of the Cycadaceae family, is a gymnosperm, usually an unbranched tree with a thick trunk. Adult stem range between 8 to 12 m (26 to 39 ft) in length and 14 to 25 cm (5.5 to 49 in) in diameter. Leaves are glossy, pinnate (leaflets are attached along an extension of the...
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      Plantae
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      Close-up photo of Serianthes nelsonii

      Serianthes nelsonii is a tree in the Fabaceae (pea) family, to 20 to 36 m (66 to 118 ft) with a trunk to 2 m (6.6 ft) in diameter. Spreading-ascending branches with a moderately broad crown. The leaves are twice-pinnate, with 10 to 20 pairs of pinnae, each of which has 22 to 30 pairs of leaflets...

      FWS Focus
      Species
      Kingdom
      Plantae
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      Species

      Get Involved

      The Guam National Wildlife Refuge relies on volunteers to assist in vital conservation and management efforts to preserve national networks of land and water - including both flora and fauna - for the benefit of present and future generations.

      Projects and Research

      The Guam National Wildlife Refuge is implementing several exciting projects. Our major projects include the Cycad Health Assessment Project and a forest restoration project.