Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge

The Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks on the Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula in Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties, North Carolina. Its headquarters is located in Columbia. Pocosin Lakes NWR was established in 1990. Originally, the southwestern portion of the refuge was established in 1963 as the Pungo National Wildlife Refuge, but was merged in 1990 with Pocosin Lakes. The National Wildlife Refuge is , and approximately were donated. This refuge is home to indigenous animals such as the black bear, alligator, two species of fox, bobcat, raccoon, coyote, opossum, beaver, river otter, mink, and red wolf. On June 1, 2008, lightning struck the refuge and started a wildfire that had, , spread to about , and was completely contained. The fire was declared out on January 9, 2009.