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The Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge is located in the U.S. state of North Dakota and extends from the Canadian border to near the town of Kenmare, North Dakota along Des Lacs Lake. The refuge was established in 1935 and includes 19,500 acres (78.9 km2). The refuge is considered to be one of the most important bird sanctuaries in the U.S., with tens of thousands of birds using the refuge for migration and breeding. The refuge is also home to elk, moose, bison and pronghorn.

Riviere des Lacs - River of the Lakes
Des lacs is from the French wording Riviere des Lacs, or River of the lakes. This name came from the early trappers and aptly describes its prominent features.

Description
The refuge is located within the Upper Souris River Basin. Two other refuges are also located within the Souris River basin, namely the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge and the Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge

History
Before any Euro-American settlements the area was home to the southern Assiniboin tribes, who now reside in Canada. The Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge became a refuge during the 1930's as a project by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The intended goal was to protect the areas various waterfowl populations.