St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1968 in the Gulf of Mexico off Apalachicola, protects St. Vincent barrier island, Pig Island, and a small mainland tract. Created to provide habitat for migratory birds, it supports about 277 bird species each year, along with seasonal nesting and migration by sea turtles, alligators, bald eagles, waterfowl, and other wildlife. Since 1990, the island has also aided endangered red wolf recovery. Its human history reaches back to Native American habitation by about 240, later followed by displacement after the 1704 Apalachee Massacre, private ownership, and eventual purchase by The Nature Conservancy and transfer to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.