The Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge is actively involved in habitat protection and restoration through the control of invasive and exotic plant and wildlife species. All control efforts conducted on the refuge are designed to improve the conditions for native plant and wildlife populations.
Exotic and invasive plants will often out compete native plants for sunlight, water and other critical resources. Their food value to wildlife is minimal and because the plants did not evolve here, they have no natural predators
Nilgai and feral hogs present a real threat to native wildlife populations because they destroy native habitat and consume limited food sources. Their rate of reproduction makes them very hard to manage and they have no natural predators.
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The ocelot is a small wild cat that is a management priority for the Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Restoring and protecting habitat benefits this and many other species found in this biologically rich region.