KSC-07pd0354

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A dolphin silently glides through the water of the turn basin near the Vehicle Assembly Building of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The turn basin was carved out of the Banana River when Kennedy Space Center was built. Dolphins frequent bays and coastlines, usually in depths under 20 meters. While some pods take up permanent residence and establish home waters, others are migratory and swim considerable distances from coast to coast. Dolphins are a frequent sight in the rivers around KSC, which shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. KSC shares a boundary with the Merritt Island Wildlife Nature Refuge. The refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. In addition, the Refuge supports 19 endangered or threatened wildlife species on Federal or State lists, more than any other single refuge in the U.S. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann