Endangered Species & Wildlife / Public News Service

Wildlife mapping efforts of species such as pronghorn reply on GPS radio collaring. (Stephen/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Western Migration Mapping Efforts Seek Congressional Funding

Mapping migration routes is important for conserving species such as pronghorn, so supporters hope Congress will fund mapping efforts. The United …

A California newt attempts to cross the road. (Jose Benedicto de Jesus/Center for Biological Diversity)

Tuesday, June 28, 2022

State Lawmakers to Consider Wildlife Crossings Bill Today

A bill to prioritize wildlife crossings gets a hearing in the state Senate Transportation Committee today. The Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection …

The Ice Harbor dam in southeastern Washington is among those that could be breached to help Northwest salmon. (davidrh/Adobe Stock)

Public Comment Encouraged on Snake River Dams Removal Plan

A report from leaders in Washington state lays out how the services of four dams on the lower Snake River could be replaced in order to save ailing sa…

Salmon on the Snake River continue to struggle, despite actions like spilling more water at the river's dams. (davidrh/Adobe Stock)

WA Leaders Ask for Comment on Dam Removal Proposal

A report from leaders in Washington state lays out how the services of four dams on the lower Snake River could be replaced in order to save ailing sa…

In 2006, experts began to note significant yearly declines in honey bee colonies. (Adobe Stock)

Pollinator Week: Protecting Vital Links in Ohio's Ecosystem

From the Frosted Elfin Butterfly to the Rusty Batch Bumble Bee, vital links of Ohio's ecosystem are in trouble. This is Pollinator Week, bringing …

If passed by Congress, Recovering America's Wildlife Act funding would be used to restore ecosystems like the Flathead River. (Outside by Nature/Adobe Stock)

Bill Passed in House Would Send $27 Million to MT for Wildlife Recovery

A measure in Congress which would fund local efforts to protect animal and plant species before they become endangered has passed the U.S. House and …

The North American river otter, also known as the northern otter, is among the 104 vulnerable wildlife species in South Dakota. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Plan Would Give SD Money for Preserving At-Risk Wildlife

This week, the U.S. House approved what's been called the most significant investment in wildlife conservation in a generation, and supporters say if …

The monarch butterfly is among the more than 110 vulnerable wildlife species in North Dakota. (Adobe Stock)

Funds for ND Part of Federal Wildlife Plan in Congress

The biggest investment in wildlife conservation in decades cleared the U.S. House this week, and supporters said if the Senate follows suit, North …

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department manages 22 elk feeding grounds in the northwest part of the state. (Wyoming Game & Fish Department)

Conservation Groups Call for Phase Out of Elk Feedgrounds

Conservation groups hope artificial elk feeding grounds near Yellowstone National Park are on their last legs. Six groups have sent recommendations …

Biologists at Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming Game and Fish and other partners have spent 10 years collaring mule deer, pronghorn, elk and other animals that cross roadways in western Wyoming. (Adobe Stock)

U.S. 26 Wildlife Crossings Advance in WY with Heavy Summer Traffic

Americans are hitting the road for summer vacation, and many will be headed to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks via U.S. Highway 26…

Southern Resident orca, which live along the West Coast, have been listed as endangered since 2005. (Valmedia/Adobe Stock)

Young People Gather to Save NW Salmon, Call for Dam Removal

Young people are leading the charge this weekend in the call to remove four dams conservation groups believe will aid the survival of salmon in the No…

Caltrans workers inspect a culvert designed to allow wildlife to pass safely underneath the highway. (Caltrans)

CA Groups Angle for Billions in Federal Funds to Build Wildlife Crossings

Billions in federal funding to build or improve wildlife crossings are up for grabs, and California nonprofits, government agencies, and tribes are …

Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease that kills elk, deer and moose and spreads rapidly when large numbers of animals congregate. It has been recently documented in Grand Teton National Park and immediately adjacent to several state-run feedgrounds. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Urge Phaseout of Elk Feedgrounds to Prevent Chronic Wasting Disease

As the Wyoming Game and Fish Department enters the third phase of its elk feedground management plan, conservation groups are calling on the state to …

Federal and state public lands surround the Big Snowy Mountains in central Montana. (U.S. Forest Service)

Big Snowy Mountains Could Open Up with MT Land Purchase

Montana is considering a purchase of land in the central part of the state that could open up access to more than 100,000 acres of public land…

Colorado is part of the gray wolf's native range, but wolves had been eradicated from the state by the 1940s, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Celebrate Upcoming CO Gray Wolf Reintroduction

After nearly a century, gray wolves are coming back to the state of Colorado. In 2020, voters approved Proposition 114, calling on Colorado Parks …

Conservation groups filed a lawsuit in 2020 challenging the decision not to list the wolverine as an endangered species. (slowmotiongli/Adobe Stock)

Potential Endangered Status for Wolverine Passes Back to Feds

Federal protections are back on the table for the wolverine after a recent court ruling. The elusive predator also has found status as "endangered" …

A 2020 survey found that nearly nine in ten Coloradans are concerned about more frequent and severe wildfires, drought and reduced snowpack. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Land Trusts Looking for Climate-Change Agents

As summer rolls in across Colorado, the threats of wildfire, diminishing snowpack and prolonged drought weigh heavy on the minds of many residents …

There are more than a dozen species of otters around the world. (David Ledig/Bureau of Land Management)

A Big Week for Otters in California

This week, in honor of World Otter Day, conservation groups are looking to raise awareness about efforts to restore sea otters along more areas of …

The annual value of terrestrial ecosystem services globally, including watersheds that filter and clean drinking water, is estimated to be roughly equivalent to the annual global Gross Domestic Product. (Adobe Stock)

State Lawmakers Press Biden to Create National Biodiversity Strategy

More than 350 state lawmakers from across the U.S. are urging President Joe Biden to create a national strategy to protect, restore and secure the …

The Biden administration approved more drilling permits in 2021 than President Donald Trump did in the first year of his presidency, <a href=

Groups File Protests to Stop Oil and Gas Leases on Public Lands

Fifteen conservation groups from Wyoming and across the nation have filed administrative protests challenging the Biden administration's plans to resu…

More than 1,100 species of plants live in Olympic National Park. (paulacobleigh/Adobe Stock)

With Nature in Crisis, State Lawmakers Call for National Biodiversity Plan

State lawmakers from around the country are calling on the Biden administration to develop a plan to protect the country's dwindling diversity of anim…

The Rio Grande Basin provides critical habitat to sandhill cranes, migratory and wintering waterfowl and many other species. (nm.audubon.org)

Champions for Biodiversity Want Biden Administration to Do More

Land-use changes, pollution, and climate change all contribute to declining biodiversity. Now a broad group of U.S. lawmakers wants the Biden …

The totem pole made about a dozen stops in Idaho, Oregon and Washington over the past three weeks. (House of Tears Carvers)

Totem Pole Takes Journey for Salmon, Struggling Puget Sound Orca

A totem pole from Washington state promoting a free-flowing Snake River has nearly completed its 2,500-mile journey around the Northwest. The Spirit …

Arctic terns have one of the longest annual migration patterns of any species on the planet, traveling from the Arctic to the Antarctic circles and back, nearly 19,000 miles. (rabbitti/Adobe Stock)

Experts, Birders: Turn Off Home Lights at Night During Migration Season

Saturday is World Migratory Bird Day, and bird experts said it is a great time to be on the lookout for types of birds you may not see every day in …

A recent poll found that 73% of voters in Colorado and New Mexico supported wildlife crossing solutions, including building overpasses on highways. (Adobe Stock)

Safe Wildlife-Crossing Bill Clears Colorado Legislature

The Colorado General Assembly has passed legislation to fund wildlife road-crossing projects across the state. Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Gunnison…

Although some hellbender populations remain healthy, it is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN and is close to qualifying for Vulnerable status. The Ozark Hellbender, a subspecies, was listed as endangered federally in 2011, according to the Nature Conservatory. (Paula Worden/Resource Institute)

NC Habitat Increased for Endangered North American Salamander

Protecting North Carolina's rivers and streams is good for residents, wildlife and even salamanders. Recent work along Hog Lot Creek and Bates …

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line is a nearly $500 million project, stretching more than 100 miles. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Refuge Concerns at Heart of Power-Line Controversy

Work continues on a proposed power-line system that would cross into Iowa from Wisconsin, even as court battles play out about the project. …

Jackson Hole Bear Solutions is developing a plan alongside the three waste-hauling businesses in Teton County to make bear-resistant trash cans accessible to as many residents as possible. (Adobe Stock)

Price No Obstacle for New Bear-Resistant Trash Cans

Bears have a hard time resisting the temptation of food available in human trash, and a new program aims to reduce a leading cause of human/bear …

A mountain lion dubbed P-65 and her kittens have been traced crossing the 101 Freeway in Southern California, near the site of a new wildlife crossing that broke ground last week. (National Park Service)

Court Upholds Trail-Blazing Ordinance to Protect Wildlife Corridors

Animals such as the mountain lion, gray fox and California red-legged frog may now have a better shot at thriving in Southern California after a …

More than half of the border-wall construction since 2016 has been along Arizona's southern border with Mexico. (Scott Griesel/Adobe Stock)

Film to Document Environmental Damage Along AZ Border Wall

Conservationists say the 400 miles of walls recently built along the U.S.-Mexico border are causing significant ecological damage and blocking the mi…

Dr. Sherwin Carlquist began his studies as a botanist in the 1950s by studying how plants end up on particular islands, and how they adapt to their new surroundings. (Adobe Stock)

TX Researchers Help Preserve Work of World-Class Botanist

The Botanical Research Institute of Texas has been awarded over $500,000 to help preserve the work of a famous American botanist. In a career as an …

Pollinators are among the species in Colorado that contribute to a biodiverse ecosystem. (Bill/Adobe Stock)

CO Lawmakers Raise Awareness About Biodiversity Crisis, Possible Solutions

Advocates for endangered species and wildlife are raising awareness about the biodiversity crisis the nation is facing, and approaches for addressing …

Some rural communities in Idaho rely on tourists visiting to fish for salmon. (Parilov/Adobe Stock)

As Columbia River Fishing Shuts Down, NW Considers How to Save Salmon

Salmon-season restrictions on the Columbia River are prompting regionwide discussions on what can be done to save the fish in the Northwest. Bob …

The are economic benefits for rural communities that host fishing include tourists buying bait, fuel, meals and lodging on their excursions. (Denise Walker/Adobe Stock)

Fishing Guide: WA Dams Contribute to Salmon Season Shutdown

The salmon-fishing season on the lower section of the Columbia River was shut down a week ago, prompting folks to call for more action to save the …

Small Oregon towns such as Westport, Clatskanine and Astoria support strong fishing economies. (Denise Walker/Adobe Stock)

Rural Communities Feel Brunt of Columbia Salmon Closure

The salmon-fishing season on the lower section of the Columbia River was shut down a week ago, prompting folks to call for more action to save the …

A new Colorado private-land conservation plan aims to align and integrate with other statewide plans that have climate action components that support water, wildlife, recreation and agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Colorado Private Landowners Key to Climate Resiliency

More frequent and exponentially larger wildfires and prolonged drought already are impacting Colorado's agricultural lands and regional economies…

North Dakota's state bird, the western meadowlark, has seen population declines. But supporters of a bill moving through Congress say it would be the biggest wildlife protection legislation since the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife Community: ND Species Could See Big Benefits from Federal Bill

North Dakota is a haven for wildlife, but climate change and development threaten certain species and their habitat. Supporters of a bill in Congress …

A bobcat uses a culvert to travel underneath a highway. (National Park Service)

Bill to Build More CA Wildlife Crossings Gets Hearing Tomorrow

Between 2016 and 2020, more than 44,000 Californians reported hitting a wild animal with a vehicle. So tomorrow, state lawmakers will consider a …

Seals bring their pups to Coquille Point in Oregon and nurse them on the shore. (David/Adobe Stock)

New Protections Designated for 'Fragile' OR Shoreline Sites

Oregon has added new protections to unique areas along the southern coast teeming with life. The state Land Conservation and Development Commission …

Across the country, the wild turkey has lost more than 18.8 million acres of habitat within its range, according to a new National Wildlife Federation analysis. That's more than any other bird species besides the mourning dove. (Adobe Stock)

Report: TX Habitat Loss Impacts Wildlife, Hunting, Fishing

Habitat loss is threatening the wildlife, lands and waters that hunters and anglers rely on, and a new report from the National Wildlife Federation …

According to the report, habitat loss in recent years varies by game species. Mule deer have lost more than 7.3 million acres of habitat, while wild turkeys have seen their range plummet by nearly 19 million acres. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Habitat Loss Causing Significant Impact on Game Species

New York's game species are literally losing ground, as human development and climate change is restricting their native habitats. A new report from …

The Oregon Department of Transportation completed a wildlife crossing in 2012 along U.S. Route 97. (Simon Wray/Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife)

Bipartisan Call for Wildlife Crossings in OR from Infrastructure Funding

Oregon state lawmakers have crossed the political divide, coming together to ask for funding of wildlife crossings from Congress's infrastructure law…

Some 67% of New Mexicans think oil and gas development on national public lands should be stopped or strictly limited rather than expanded, according to the 2022 Conservation in the West poll. (BLM/Flickr)

Public Lands Face New Threats from Climate Change, Drilling

The use of public lands is back in the spotlight as the war in Ukraine enters its second month and gas prices remain high. The American Petroleum …

Communities and agriculture are encroaching on the habitat of western painted turtles in Oregon. (Danita Delimont/Adobe Stock)

Bipartisan Conservation Bill Would Stem Species-Decline 'Crisis'

A bipartisan effort in Congress to curb the loss of plant and animal species could get a Senate committee vote as soon as this week. The Recovering …

In 2021, three endangered grizzly bears were killed through the USDA's Wildlife Services program. Of more than 400,000 wild animals killed, at least 2,700 were killed unintentionally. (Adobe Stock)

USDA’s Wildlife Services Killed More Than 400,000 Native Wildlife in 2021

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's latest report on its wildlife killing program, which aims to reduce the loss of livestock to carnivores…

Safe wildlife passages, either under or over roads, are estimated to have reduced collisions by more than 80%, according to Pew Charitable Trusts. (BridgetDonaldson/Virgina.gov)

NM Summit Works to Solve Safe Passage for People, Wildlife

Shrinking wildlife habitat puts big-game animals at greater risk of colliding with cars and trucks, and has led to the Wildlife Corridors Action Plan …

Kelp abundance has dropped by 80% from its peak in Puget Sound. (Gina Lusardi/Adobe Stock)

WA Kelp Decline Bad News Culturally, Environmentally for Northwest

Kelp forests in Puget Sound play an integral role environmentally and culturally, but they're in steep decline. There are more than 20 species of …

The sage grouse is considered a sentinel species, whose health status reflects the state of the entire Western desert ecosystem known as the "Sagebrush Sea." (Jennifer Hall/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service)

Budget Bill Blocks Endangered Species Protection for Sage Grouse

Conservation groups are slamming a spending deal in Congress that's expected to pass this week - because it would forbid Endangered Species Act protec…

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