Wildlife closures protect wildlife and people.

Some temporary closures are short-term (a couple days to a week). An example would be an area where a predator may be defending a kill site. Other temporary closures protect active den or nest sites or moose rutting areas, and may be in place for many weeks or months. Sable Pass is closed to human entry every summer. Visitors, including researchers, must respect wildlife closures. Closures are physically marked on the ground with signs, and maps of closures can be downloaded below. Entry is not permitted into wildlife closures. Researchers must adjust their field activities to another location or wait until the closure is no longer in effect.

Title 36 CFR 13.50(a) gives the Park Superintendent the authority to close areas on a temporary or permanent basis to provide for “public health and safety, resource protection, protection of cultural or scientific values, subsistence uses, endangered or threatened species conservation, and other management considerations necessary to ensure that the activity or area is being managed in a manner compatible with the purposes for which the park area was established.” Unless specifically permitted, entry into a closed area is a violation of federal regulation. This applies to everyone: visitors, park staff, concessioners, and contractors.

For more information, visit the wildlife closures webpage: https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/closures.htm