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The beacon of Lighthouse Island gleams into the Northern Michigan night from its lonely vantage point 3 miles offthe south shore of Lake Superior. Lighthouse Island, or West Huron, is the second largest of eight islandscomprising the Huron Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Designated a refuge in 1905, this is the oldest nationalwildlife refuge in the Midwest Region. It was established for the protection of migratory birds, specifically, a large nesting colony of herring gulls. Despite their small size, totalling only 147 acres, the remoteness andprimitive quality of these islands have earned them the designation of a Wilderness Area. The lighthouse on West Huron Island was built in 1868 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Habitat of this unstaffed refuge varies from a sparse covering of red pines and white birch with groundvegetation to barren granite with scattered lichen growth. Resident wildlife species include merlins, bald eaglesand a large gull colony on Cattle and Rock islands. The refuge is managed by staff at Seney National Wildlife Refuge, in Seney, Michigan.
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