Located just off the western coast of Orchid Island, Florida in the Indian River Lagoon east of Sebastian, Florida, the Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge is the first refuge in the United States. Created to protect egrets and other birds from extinction through plume hunting, the refuge was established by an executive order of President Theodore Roosevelt on March 14, 1903. As part of the larger Everglades Headwaters NWR complex, Pelican Island Refuge comsistes of a 3-acre (12,000 m2) island that includes an additional 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) of surrounding water, and is definitely a great location to spot pelicans, wood storks, ibis and more.