Photo by Karen Westphal

From the June issue: Native birds and animals find solace in the sanctuary

Timmy Vincent has been the full-time onsite manager at Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary in Vermilion Parish for nearly 22 years. The 26,000-acre sanctuary is home to a plethora of birds and animals like whitetail deer, bobcats and even minks–to name a few. The goal of the sanctuary is to serve as a safe haven of sorts to these native animals and birds. More than 200 species of birds use the sanctuary as their “final rest stop” before embarking on their 500-mile trek across the Gulf of Mexico.

“It’s basically 26,000 acres of wild coastal marshland,” says Erik Johnson, director of bird conservation for Audubon Louisiana. “It’s a reminder of what coastal Louisiana once was, and still could be.”

Coastal restoration, protecting these species and educating the public on the importance of the two is the focus at Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary. And while the sanctuary is not open to the public, the team is working on ways to “bring Rainey to people.”

To learn more about Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary and its mission to protect our coast and its inhabitants, read this story from the June issue of inRegister, on newsstands now.