As many as 60,000 ducks and 162,000 geese have peaked in recent years at Cache River. Both wood ducks and mallards nest in the area. Assistant manager Liz Jones says that she has seen so many lesser yellowlegs at one time that they couldn't be counted. Regular counts of waterfowl and shorebirds continue, the latter conducted by members of the local Phoenix Audubon Society. A recent Christmas count revealed 85 bird species, including a golden eagle seen for the first time at the refuge.
The refuge also contains 87 fin fish species, 25 species of snails, and 17 species of mussels. Known reptile and amphibian species number 54, including the eastern ribbon snake, which until 1986 had not been found in Illinois for 100 years. A total of 47 mammals are known to occupy the refuge. Biologists think it is likely that maternity colonies of endangered Indiana bats also occur within the refuge since they have been found nearby.
For places to hike and put in canoes, visitors should check with refuge headquarters. Exploration by canoe on marked trails is the only way to see centuries-old swamp trees. For a small fee, canoes can be put in at a private boat launch on the Cache River south of Perks. The Frank Belrose Waterfowl Reserve, named after the Illinois naturalist who became an internationally known waterfowl biologist, includes a viewing platform overlooking a frequently busy impoundment constructed by Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Access requires a call to the refuge. There are over 20 miles of hiking trails on state lands bordering the Cache just east of the refuge.
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