Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge protects a long stretch of the Deep Fork River floodplain in eastern Oklahoma near Okmulgee. Established in June 1993 and dedicated in February 1995, it forms a narrow corridor of wetlands, oxbow lakes, swamps, and upland forest along about 20 miles of river. Regular flooding shapes the refuge and creates rich habitat for migratory waterfowl and many other animals, including 254 recorded bird species and 51 mammal species. Open year-round for recreation, it also contributes, with nearby wildlife areas, to preserving more than 25,000 acres and 30 miles of the river in a near-natural state.