Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge near Sealy in southeast Texas protects 10,528 acres of coastal prairie, one of the largest surviving remnants of a once widespread ecosystem and a crucial refuge for the critically endangered Attwater’s prairie chicken. Emerging from conservation efforts that began in the mid-1960s, the area became a National Natural Landmark in 1968 and was established as a refuge by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in 1972. Active management includes prescribed burning, prairie restoration, and releases from captive-breeding programs. The refuge also supports hundreds of other wildlife species and preserves a rare piece of the Gulf Coast prairie.