North Dakota is a haven for wildlife, but climate change and development threaten certain species and their habitat. Supporters of a bill in Congress say states would see much-needed investment to protect them from extinction.

North Dakota leads all other states in the number of wildlife refuges, but some species are in trouble. The northern pintail duck has declined by roughly 70% in recent decades.

Mike Leahy, director of wildlife, hunting and fishing policy for the National Wildlife Federation, said states often lean on hunters to fund wildlife preservation through fees. But he contended a federal proposal would keep funding consistent.

"The Recovering America's Wildlife Act finally gets the states, the territory and the tribes the money to do proactive, collaborative wildlife conservation to keep species off of the Endangered Species List," Leahy asserted.

Under the plan, North Dakota would see $15 million annually. Backers argued it would allow the state to work with private landowners to restore wetlands and protect grasslands. The Senate version, co-sponsored by Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-S.D., could get a committee vote Thursday. While the plan has bipartisan support, how the federal government should pay for it has led to divisions.

Losing more species also creates concerns for states where hunting is popular, and in North Dakota, waterfowl hunting creates about $30 million in economic activity.

John Bradley, executive director of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation, said it goes beyond protecting the interests of sportsmen and women.

"Both the hunter and folks that just like to hike or bird watch just like knowing that there's healthy wildlife populations out there," Bradley explained. "This bill does exactly that. It's actually focused mainly on nongame species."

According to North Dakota's Wildlife Action Plan, 115 species are in need of protections through conservation efforts.

Meanwhile, the bill would commit nearly $100 million to Tribal nations and their programs to protect endangered species. Indigenous conservation leaders stressed their work is often slowed by competitive grants and the uncertainty in securing annual funding.

The southern Appalachian Mountains, known as the salamander capital of the world, are home to some of the most distinct wildlife in the country but Hurricane Helene's strong winds and flooding have left a trail of destruction across Western North Carolina.

Communities and businesses are working to recover and conservationists are raising concerns about how the storm has affected endangered species.

JJ Apodaca, executive director of the Amphibian and Reptile Conservancy, said one species in particular, the hellbender salamander, has suffered greatly.

"Hellbenders are a large aquatic salamander and several of those have been found dead across the region," Apodaca reported. "You can just imagine that something that's two feet long and doesn't really swim that well can't really escape the devastation."

Apodaca described the damage to habitats such as the Hickory Nut Gorge as catastrophic. He noted entire slopes and hillsides of trees have been wiped out, resulting in a complete loss of habitat for many species. While conservationists are still assessing the long-term effects, he stressed the outlook raises serious concerns for the future of the ecosystems.

Dalton George, national grassroots organizer for the Endangered Species Coalition and mayor pro tem of Boone, emphasized the importance of prioritizing wildlife and environmental health during recovery efforts. He pointed to greener infrastructure as a solution, prioritizing designs allowing wildlife to move freely, protecting clean water and managing stormwater effectively. He said the steps are essential to balancing recovery with long-term sustainability.

"With salamanders, with wildlife, here in the Appalachian Mountains, they need those protections now more than ever as we see the impacts of climate change and the extinction crisis happening globally," George asserted.

George highlighted the importance of the Endangered Species Act as a critical tool for preserving wildlife and their habitats. However, the act has faced repeated attacks in Congress. Conservationists say continued public support and advocacy are key to ensuring it remains a strong safeguard for the region's wildlife and ecosystems.


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Environmental advocates in Maryland are celebrating legislation that expands the definitions of wildlife in the state. The law also requires the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to review once every five years whether any new species need to be added to the state list.

Logan Christian, wildlife and habitat specialist with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, said the expanding definition of wildlife includes invertebrates important in our food system - and other critical functions in our ecosystem.

"Pollinators are really important for biodiversity," Christian explained. "They're responsible for one out of every three bites of food that we take. Having the ability to think about all species -- where are species at and should they be listed -- it's just really important to have wildlife be defined broadly for that purpose."

He pointed out that a species could also be removed from the list, if conservation efforts succeed in increasing its wildlife populations.

The new law also lets private citizens get involved. Any interested person can submit a petition asking the Secretary of Natural Resources to review whether any species should be listed or removed from the Endangered Species Act. Christian said public input in species conservation can provide valuable help to government agencies trying to monitor hundreds of species.

"It allows for states to kind of add capacity by bringing in the public and non-profits and other keepers of knowledge in the state, who might have their finger on the pulse of what's happening with species better just because of the nature of their work or what they do," he continued.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources tracks the status of more than 550 species that are threatened, endangered or in need. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only lists 39 of those species as threatened or endangered.

Maryland House Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, who sponsored the bill, said it cements many existing practices in the state, such as including invertebrates in the definition of wildlife. She also emphasizes the Endangered Species Acts has worked well for conservation across the country - and in Maryland.

"The Endangered Species Act really has been a huge success - both the state level laws and the federal laws. We have preserved so much biodiversity in our country over the last 50 years because of this law - and we really should regard this as one of the great environmental protections in our country," she said.

The new policies governing endangered species went into effect July first.


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Conservation groups have sued the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to stop a logging project in Montana's Garnet Mountains.

Wildlife advocates said the project threatens a migration corridor for grizzly bears and other animals. The Clark Fork Face Project, about 30 minutes east of Missoula, would allow logging on nearly 17,000 acres of land overseen by the BLM.

Mike Garrity, executive director of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, said the effort would sever vital connectivity corridors for wildlife navigating between the Northern Continental Divide, Greater Yellowstone and Bitterroot ecosystems.

"The Garnet mountains are an important wildlife corridor for carnivores such as grizzly bear, lynx and wolverines," Garrity explained.

Despite the lawsuit, the BLM started logging in the Garnet earlier this week. Garrity noted the Alliance will ask the court for an injunction to stop clear-cutting until the case is decided. The BLM argued the project will improve forest health and reduce hazardous wildfire fuels across a majority of the area.

Garrity countered the Garnet Mountains are geographically critical to the grizzlies, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

"Scientists say for grizzly bears to be recovered, we once again have to have one connected population of grizzly bears in the northern Rockies," Garrity emphasized. "Otherwise, there's a big risk of inbreeding."

Garrity added the conservation groups plan to amend their complaint to also sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its role in the Clark Fork Face Project.