Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge is one of the eight refuges that comprise the Eastern Massachusetts National Wildlife Refuge Complex. This refuge protects habitats critical to the survival of migratory birds, horseshoe crabs, tiger beetles, gray seals, and other wildlife. Sand, dunes, and marshes stretch for eight miles off the elbow of Cape Cod, forming the barrier islands of North and South Monomoy, along with numerous islets and shoals. The Refuge consists of varied habitats of oceans, salt and freshwater marshes, dunes, and freshwater ponds. Nearly half of Monomoy's 7,921 acres is designated as Wilderness. The Wilderness designation recognizes areas where the earth is undeveloped, its community of life are untrammeled,