Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge

Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area in California, USA. It encompasses diverse habitats like grasslands and riparian areas, providing crucial habitat for numerous species, including the endangered California condor. The foothills of the San Joaquin Valley to the southwest in Kern County are home to the Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge has an elevation range of 1,600 feet to 4,680 feet.

The 14,097-acre Refuge was purchased in 1985 to protect the declining California condor population’s feeding and roosting habitat; in 1986, the last wild female condor was captured there. The reintroduced condors use the Refuge as a feeding and resting ground. The condor-monitoring efforts of the Service rely heavily on the Refuge. The San Andreas Fault, which runs right through the middle of the Refuge, and the steep Bitter Creek Canyon are the two natural features that attract visitors the most.

Wildlife At Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge

The Bitter Creek Refuge is home to the California condor as well as several other species that are threatened or endangered on the federal level, including species such as the San Joaquin kit fox, the western spadefoot toad, the western horned lizard, the gigantic kangaroo rat, and the tricolored blackbird.

Mule deer, pronghorn antelope, tule elk, bobcats, and western rattlesnakes are just a few of the animals that call this refuge home. An astounding 119 birds, including 90 migratory species, have been spotted at the Refuge.

Address: California 166 & Cerro Noroeste Rd, Maricopa, CA 93252, United States

Phone: +1 805-644-5185

Elevation: 1,600 to 4,680 feet (490 to 1,430 m)

Area: 57.05 km²

Established: 1985

Management: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service