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Located offshore from St. Petersburg, the Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge is a 30-acre meandering barrier island and wildlife refuge. Established in 1905, the sanctuary once consisted of vast mangrove swamps and a freshwater lake and was home to several species of birds, including brown pelicans, black skimmers, laughing gulls, sandwich terns, oystercatchers, and royal terns. The island was unfortunately severely damaged by a hurricane in 1920, which destroyed most of it. Today, the Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge spans 36.37 acres and acts as a sanctuary and breeding ground for native birds, such as royal and sandwich terns; however, it has suffered substantial shoaling in recent years and is currently reduced to a small sandbar approximately 100 yards long at high tide.

Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge
© Courtesy of Olivier JULLY - Fotolia.com

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

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