In addition to its tremendous value as a spectacular haven for wildlife, the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain known as the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is now the focus of major debate about oil and gas exploration and development. This resource provides some information on the refuge (not the debate). The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) maintains the site, the official homepage of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The ANWR homepage supplies background information on the refuge (description, location, maps), wildlife (birds, mammals, fish), habitats, and people. For a brief introduction to the development issue, see descriptions under "Oil and Gas Development" (in the Refuge section).