If you’ve ever spent a late afternoon on the beaches of east central Florida, you probably noticed the lines of brown pelicans flying south around 5:00. Like many Space Coast workers, they’re headed for home - in this case, Pelican Island, located near Sebastian, Florida.

As you drive through the city of Sebastian, you will see signs proudly announcing that Sebastian is the home of Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge consists of the three-acre Pelican Island and another couple of acres of surrounding water in the Indian River Lagoon. The Refuge was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 to protect egrets and other birds from plume hunters, and bears the distinction of being the first wildlife refuge in the United States.

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