Willapa National Wildlife Refuge Complex

06/08/2026

This Canada Goose, like a lot of our patients, is with us because of human activity. It seems fun and harmless to toss bread, crackers and popcorn to ducks and geese, but this is an unexpected and heart-breaking result.

She is suffering from Angel Wing Syndrome, a wing deformity caused by a nutritional imbalance. Too much protein, carbohydrates and calories at a young age caused her heavy flight feathers to grow in before her bones were ready to support the weight. Her “wrists” twisted under the weight of the feathers and their blood supply. As she grew, the bones solidified, the deformity became permanent, and she is now unable to fly.
Please don't feed wildlife, and if you see an orphan please call your local wildlife rehabilitator.

05/28/2026

Bust out your magnifying glasses 🔎 — there are animal tracks afoot! 🐾

Low tides leave plenty of exposed mud and sand, creating the perfect surface for wildlife to leave their mark. Check out some tracks found on recent hikes at Willapa National Wildlife Refuge!

Animal tracks can reveal all kinds of clues: how many animals came through, their size, whether they were walking or running, and even which species weren’t there. Some prints are crisp, others mysterious—but that’s what makes wildlife detective work so fun.

Next time you’re out, pause and see what the tracks can tell you.

Bonus: What do you notice in these photos?

05/22/2026

Look closely...do you see the western long-toed salamander?

A master of muddy camouflage, this salamander lives throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. They thrive near moist freshwater habitats, which keep their permeable skin damp so they can breathe. Their jelly-like eggs also must stay underwater—usually attached to sticks—so the young can develop.

This species is part of the mole salamander family, found only in North America. Adults typically live on land, hiding underground or beneath damp logs. They’re easy to recognize by the extra-long fourth toe on each hind foot and the yellowish-brown stripe running down the back.

PHOTO: Long-toed salamander resting on mud.
Photo Credit: Charisse Walker/USFWS

05/16/2026

Watch your step! 🍌

There’s a banana-looking creature crawling across the trails—meet the amazing banana slug! These slimy creastures, that come in a range of yellow colors, sometimes with spots, call the conifer forests of the Pacific Northwest home.

The slime they produce is essential for their survival and helps them move around the woods. You’ll often find them gliding slowly in the shade, munching on leaves, fungi, f***l matter, and other dead material found on the forest floor.

Their slime also has chemicals that act as an anesthetic, numbing the mouths and throats of predators, and even sends messages to fellow slugs!

Photo Credit: Charisse Walker/USFWS

05/15/2026

We think it’s an awesome place too!

Picture yourself surrounded by breathtaking landscapes, from an old growth coastal cedar forest to pristine wetlands. Willapa National Wildlife Refuge is the place to see what the Pacific Northwest looked like over 100 years ago.

The Washington refuge preserves habitat for spawning wild salmon, hundreds of thousands of migrating shorebirds and waterfowl, and threatened species such as the western snowy plover and marbled murrelet.

Photo by Andy Zahn

05/04/2026

Let’s talk about snags—those dead trees that still stand tall in the wild! Believe it or not, snags are just as important as their leafy, living counterparts. Though they have passed on, trees that are dead provide essential shelter for all sorts of creatures, including owls, bats, woodpeckers, and squirrels. They’re like nature’s apartment complexes! Snags are also hotspots for bugs and fungi, serving up endless snacks for critters and creating rich habitats for biodiversity.

If you’re hiking Porter Point Loop or other trails around Willapa National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, keep an eye out for these marvelous snags. They’re a testament to how every stage of a tree’s life is valuable in nature!

Photo by Charisse Walker

04/27/2026

🎉🎉🎉

04/27/2026

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day everyone! 🌎

Here at FWS, every day is Earth Day as our mission is centered around conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats! Today, however, refuge employees celebrated by picking up garbage at Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for the Columbian White-tailed Deer. 🦌🌱

Collective efforts like this can make a big impact on our local environment, but so can acts at the individual level.

🗑️ Pick up litter on your walk
💧 Use less water
🪴 Plant native species
♻️ Bring reuseable bags to stores

Small, everyday choices add up and together we can all protect the natural environments on Planet Earth. 🌎🌍🌏

04/22/2026

Spring is a great time to go hiking at Willapa, and this time of year the trails—especially Porter Point Loop—are bursting with blooms of all kinds!

While you’re enjoying the sights, take a sniff of skunk cabbage. It’s nature’s way of reminding us that not all flowers are fragrant—some are downright stinky! Despite its smell, Skunk Cabbage is an early-season food source for black bears leading to the nickname "bear-weed".

Photo by Charisse Walker/USFWS