The Ozark Cavefish National Wildlife Refuge is a 40-acre (16-ha) National Wildlife Refuge located in

Lawrence County, Missouri Lawrence County is located in the southwest portion of the U.S. state of Missouri, in the area of the Ozarks. As of the 2010 census, the population was 38,634. Its county seat is Mount Vernon. The county was organized in 1845 and named for Jame ...

, 20 mi (32 km) west of Springfield. The

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

acquired the land in 1991 to protect the

endangered An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and in ...

Ozark cavefish.

Wildlife and protected species

In addition to the Ozark cavefish, Turnback Cave provides habitat for the endangered gray bat, whose

droppings Feces ( or faeces), known colloquially and in slang as poo and poop, are the solid or semi-solid remains of food that was not digested in the small intestine, and has been broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. Feces contain a relati ...

provide the essential nutrient source for the caves. The refuge is closed to the public.

External links

Ozark Cavefish National Wildlife Refuge

Recreation.gov overview

Endangered Species Guidesheet
Missouri Department of Conservation

by Tracy Crede * {{authority control National Wildlife Refuges in Missouri Fauna of the Plains-Midwest (United States) Protected areas of Lawrence County, Missouri

Wildlife and protected species

See also

External links