Endangered Species & Wildlife / Public News Service

Wolverines are powerfully built and have short legs with wide feet for traveling across the snow. They are a vital part of ecosystems in northern climes, according to Defenders of Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Threatened wolverine gains protected status

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has added the wolverine to the list of endangered species. Advocates said it will add critical protections for the …

An endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle swims off San Francisco, in September 2022. (Geoff Shester/Oceana)

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Endangered sea turtle killed by discarded fishing gear in CA

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife just announced a marine warden discovered an endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle dead, drowned …

A decision on whether to provide Endangered Species protections to wolverine has wavered since the 1990s. (Karlos Lomsky/Adobe Stock)

Decades-long effort yields protections for dwindling wolverine population

In a long-awaited decision being celebrated by conservation groups, the wolverine will receive greater protections across the northern Cascades and …

Wolverine need deep snow for their habitats, but experts say snow levels are dwindling due to climate change. (jamenpercy/Adobe Stock)

Long-awaited protections for wolverine relief for conservation groups

Conservation groups are celebrating a long-fought battle to protect the dwindling population of wolverine in the Northwest and northern Rockies…

Montana is home to more than 30 million acres of public state and federal lands, nearly one-third of the state. (Adobe Stock)

MT wilderness advocates question motives of 'Conservation Act'

Wildlife advocates are pushing back on a bill in Congress which would remove federal wilderness protections from some Montana land. There are …

Missouri wetlands have been reduced to 643,000 acres, a loss of 87% from their original footprint. (rodimovpavel/Adobe Stock)

MO duck-hunting season portends a grim future

Missouri's duck-hunting season runs through January, and many enthusiasts are concerned about how plentiful their future quarry will be because of a …

At least 33 different types of wetlands occur in Michigan. Twenty-six are considered rare because fewer than 100 are intact, Eight of the 26 rare wetland types are considered imperiled and at high risk of extinction. An additional three wetland types are considered critically imperiled and at very high risk of extinction. (rodimovpavel/Adobe Stock)

Wetlands ruling worries MI duck hunters

Michigan's duck-hunting season runs through January, and many enthusiasts are concerned about how plentiful their future quarry will be because of a …

Duck hunting season is already underway in Arkansas and the Natural State is home to five major classes of wetlands based on water source, geology and landscape position. (Ajamils/AdobeStock)

Duck hunting faces environmental crossroads after spring SCOTUS ruling

Arkansas and other states are dealing with the fallout from a Supreme Court decision in May, which effectively removed federal protections for more …

Mapping is important part of conserving wildlife corridors. (iploydoy/Adobe Stock)

More support from Congress urged to protect wildlife corridors

Wildlife corridor conservation is in the spotlight in Congress. Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries…

Historically the swale paintbrush grew in at least a dozen locations but has only been spotted in one since 1985. (courtesy MarkEgger/Flickr)

A New Mexico endangered species outside the cultural norm

It might not make hearts skip a beat like the sight of a Monarch butterfly or gray wolf, but biologists say a rare flowering New Mexico plant …

Alaska's Brooks Range is home to critical caribou habitat that covers about 157,000 square miles, which is equal in size to the state of Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Opposition grows to major road project in AK's iconic Brooks Range

Opposition is growing among hunters and anglers to a proposed road in Alaska's iconic Brooks Range. The state has invested millions in the project…

Around 11,900 acres of the historic Bohart Ranch east of Colorado Springs used by U.S. Air Force Academy cadets have been permanently protected. (Adobe Stock)

SOAR aims to conserve open space, military readiness

The skies above the historic 48,000 acre Bohart Ranch and a remote airfield on the property serve an important role for the United States Air Force Ac…

The Sublette Pronghorn herd boast some of the longest distance migrating pronghorns on record, and travel the 'Path of the Pronghorn,' the first federally-designated migration corridor. (Adobe Stock)

Removing barriers along iconic Sublette Pronghorn migration corridor

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is moving forward with the Sublette Pronghorn migration corridor designation process. Josh Metten, Wyoming …

The Big League Project is located near the Calapooia and Mohawk rivers' Watersheds. (Cascadia Wildlands)

Conservation groups seek to protect OR forest from logging project

Conservation groups have filed a lawsuit to block a logging project near Eugene. Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild and Willamette Riverkeeper are …

The Bureau of Land Management does not currently have regulations directly promoting conservation efforts for all resources. The proposed rule is intended to address the gap. (Adobe Stock)

NV conservationists push for proposed BLM public-lands rule

Nevada conservationists want to get a proposed Bureau of Land Management rule across the finish line. The rule would put conservation efforts on par …

Last year there were 4,900 reported collisions with deer, 166 with elk and 20 with moose. The actual collision number is likely twice as high, though, as many incidents go unreported, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. (Adobe Stock)

Utah allocates funds to build more wildlife crossings

Budget legislation was signed into law in Utah this week that includes $20 million for building wildlife crossing infrastructure. Utah joins other …

Wolverines could get federal protections in November

Wyoming's elusive population of wolverines, whose contributions include keeping in check squirrel and other small mammal populations living at high …

The palila is a critically endangered finch-billed species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. (Courtesy Bret Mossman)

Invasive species put Hawaii in midst of a wildlife extinction crisis

Hawaii is known for its beautiful birds and wildlife advocates want to see more done to protect them from the effects of climate change. One of the …

Bats are the only mammals capable of self-powered flight, and account for about one in five of all mammals on earth. There are around 1,300 bat species worldwide. (Anastasiia/ Adobe Stock)

Wildlife advocates: Bats provide $50 billion worth of natural pest control

As Halloween approaches and thoughts may turn to spooky bat costumes, advocates for endangered species are reminding everyone bats are not creatures …

New Mexico is among 15 U.S. states known to have mountain lions, with an estimated population of 3,500. (JasonKlassi/mountainlion.org)

NM Game Commission to decide hunting limits for mountain lion, bear

The number of mountain lions killed by New Mexico hunters in recent years has fallen below what the state allows, but wildlife advocates think a …

Pipeline Number 5 lies beneath the Straits of Mackinaw. Opponents claim the aging oil line threatens the largest freshwater system in the world. (ehrlif/Adobe Stock)

Fast-track Line 5 permitting push met with protest

Michigan's Senate GOP pushed for fast track of Enbridge's Line 5 tunnel construction at a press conference this week. Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor …

The number of wolves in Wisconsin is estimated at 1,000, up from 200 when the state adopted its first management plan in 1999. (dnr.wisconsin.gov)

Wisconsin's wolf management plan back in the spotlight

The long-awaited Wisconsin Wolf Management Plan is up for adoption next week by the state's Department of Natural Resources, and the board will …

A mural project celebrates the Endangered Species Act and the smalltooth sawfish. (Kelly Quinn)

Mural raises awareness for FL's smalltooth sawfish

A vibrant installation at today's SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival is designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act …

The Freshwater Challenge aims to restore 300,000 km of degraded rivers and 350 million hectares of degraded wetlands globally by 2030 and to protect intact freshwater ecosystems. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Water crisis threatens $58 trillion in food security, sustainability

The world's water and freshwater ecosystems, with an annual estimated economic value of $58 trillion, are in a downward spiral - according to a new …

According to the BirdCast Migration Dashboard, more than 100,000 birds migrated through Arkansas skies this week. (Robert McAlpine/Adobe Stock)<br />

AR tower has unique mission: tracking birds as they migrate

Arkansas is part of an international collaboration that uses automated radio signals to track the migration of birds, bats and insects. It's called …

Climate change board games emphasize teamwork and group success. Either all players win together, or no one survives. (pathdoc/Adobe Stock)

Climate change: Better understood through board games?

By Debra J. Rosenthal for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Michigan News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

California sea lions off the coast of Santa Barbara. (Oceana)

Analysis: Crews only report 6% of marine mammals caught in set gillnets

A new analysis by Oceana found crews in the California set gillnet fishery have severely underreported the number of seals and sea lions caught and ki…

President Joe Biden does not believe the U.S.-Mexican border wall built by his predecessor was effective, but cited a 2019 congressional appropriation of funds as the reason for new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley. (AerialStockFootage/Adobe Stock)

South Texas opponents of new border wall promise resistance

Opponents of previous efforts to build a border wall in South Texas are reeling from the Biden administration's announcement last week to resume…

Cabeza Prieta is one of the largest wildlife refuges in the United States and contains more than 800,000 acres of designated wilderness. (Adobe Stock)

AZ coalition seeks expansion of wildlife refuge and protection of ancestral lands

An Arizona-based coalition is calling on the Department of the Interior to expand the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in addition to returning …

South Dakota is known for native wildflowers like Sphaeralcea coccinea, known as the scarlet globemallow. (Photo courtesy of SDSU and Ben Shreves)

National parks, SDSU join the native plant party

The U.S. is home to nearly 5,000 nonnative plant species. Most are not considered harmful but there are efforts to eliminate invasive ones from …

The south slope of Crevice Mountain is one of the few designated places outside Yellowstone National Park where Yellowstone bison can roam. (Adobe Stock)

Activists buy out gold mine claim at Yellowstone National Park

When Crevice Mining Group made moves in 2021 to establish a gold mine on lands directly upslope from the Yellowstone River and in plain view from Yell…

A National Wildlife Federation survey found mixed opinions about leaving leaves on lawns. While almost half of respondents use collected leaves as mulch or compost, a small percentage are worried about fallen leaves

Survey: Keeping leaves on lawns aids wildlife, environment

A new report found raking and bagging leaves could be doing a disservice to your yard or garden. A National Wildlife Federation survey showed most …

The majority of caterpillars and moth species rely on the leaf layer for their primary habitat, allowing them to serve as the primary food source for backyard birds and their young during nesting season. (Adobe Stock)

Leaving the leaves helps wildlife thrive, VT gardens grow

Autumn leaves will soon be falling and a growing number of homeowners in Vermont are willing to leave them on the ground. A new survey from the …

For every $1 invested in conserving Colorado's prime wildlife habitat, lands along streams, lakes and rivers, and farmlands -- such as the Avant Vineyards in Palisade -- through tax credits, Coloradans receive up to $12 in economic benefits. (Colorado West Land Trust)

Colorado land trusts get $1 million in lottery proceeds for conservation

Great Outdoors Colorado, the lottery-funded program to preserve natural resources, has awarded a second $1 million grant to fuel conservation efforts …

A National Wildlife Federation survey finds 36% of respondents are required by city ordinances or homeowners associations to rake their leaves. Additionally, 14% of those surveyed got rid of 10 bags of leaves per year. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Leave leaves on yards to aid biodiversity

A new study finds the autumn chore of raking leaves could be a disservice to budding plant life. The National Wildlife Federation found fallen leaves …

Landfills in the U.S. receive more than ten million tons of leaves and yard waste each year, producing underground methane, a potent greenhouse gas, which is then released into the air as landfill piles are bulldozed to make room for more waste. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Leave free or die: More NH homes put down the rake

New Hampshire yards will soon be covered in fallen leaves, but a new survey finds a growing number of people are willing to leave them lie to improve …

The development and presence of roads can reduce landscape permeability, lead to habitat loss and increase habitat fragmentation. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates say even small development damages sensitive MT ecology

New research by ecology experts in Montana showed even small amounts of development can cause a widespread decline in stream biodiversity. It does …

A survey of nearly 1,200 people nationwide found just 25% of people leave their leaves where they fall despite 72% of respondents acknowledging that fallen leaves and the leaf layer are beneficial to wildlife and biodiversity. (Adobe Stock)

More MA homeowners open to leaving leaves where they fall

Autumn leaves will soon be falling, and a growing number of homeowners in Massachusetts are willing to leave them on the ground. A new survey from …

Climate change board games emphasize teamwork and group success. Either all players win together, or no one survives. (dvande/Adobe Stock)

Board games help players understand climate change

By Debra J. Rosenthal for The Conversation.Broadcast version by Farah Siddiqi for Ohio News Connection for the Public News Service-Conversation …

There are about 1,900 grizzlies in the Northern Rockies states of WY, ID, MT and WA. <br />There are 30, 000 in Alaska and about 23,000 in Canada. The grizzlies in Alaska are not listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Alliance sues over Yellowstone logging project

Three conservation groups have sued to stop a large logging project near Yellowstone National Park they say threatens endangered species in Montana…

The U.S. Department of the Interior currently manages 11,000 bison in herds across 4.6 million acres of public lands in a dozen states. (Adobe Stock)

Native American Tribes get funding for bison restoration

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced $5 million in funding to help reintroduce bison to Native American Tribal lands around the country…

Washington Invests $5 Million in Tribal Land Bison Restoration

The U.S. Interior Department has invested $5 million in reintroducing bison to Native American Tribal lands across the country. Montana's iconic …

It's estimated there are 6,200 wild burros in the State of Arizona, according to the Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Seeks Public Comment on Wild Burro Management in AZ

The wild burro population in northwest Arizona is about four times the appropriate management level, according to the Bureau of Land Management…

Thousands of miles of fencing in Wyoming and across the Western U.S., which act as barriers to wildlife seeking winter and summer ranges, was installed over 100 years ago. (Adobe Stock)

Hunters, Anglers Get $2.5 Million to Restore Migration Corridors

A new partnership between the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the group Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) aims to improve migration corridors …

Many saguaro cacti were damaged or destroyed during construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall initiated by former President Donald Trump and funded by taxpayers. (Photo courtesy: LaikenJordahl)

NM Saw Lasting Consequences from Trump's U.S.-Mexico Border Wall

The unprecedented attempt to build a wall along the U.S. Mexico border has had devastating effects on wildlife from which they may not recover…

Tonight: Great Lakes Documentary Premieres in Traverse City

They're calling it an "adventure conservation documentary," and the film has its first showing tonight in Traverse City. "Troubled Water" chronicles …

More than 100 U.S. crops depend on pollinators, which provided approximately $18 billion of value in 2020. In Nebraska, fruit orchards and melon crops in particular are dependent upon honeybee pollination. (kosolovsky/Adobe Stock)

Seasoned NE Beekeeper Abuzz Over Bee Lawns, Other Bee-Friendly Practices

Bees and other pollinators are indispensable to a huge number of crops, and in Nebraska as well as across the country their numbers have been …

The National Audubon Society report states that if meaningful action is taken now to stabilize the <br />climate, 76% of climate-vulnerable bird species will experience less range loss. (Kevin/AdobeStock)

Report: Audubon Call to Action for Renewable Energy, Bird Protection

A new report highlights the need for more electric transmission, while showing how it can be implemented without hurting our feathered friends…

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