Endangered Species & Wildlife / Public News Service

Colorado has been a leader in prioritizing intact habitat and migration corridor conservation, most recently through an executive order by Gov. Jared Polis and in new guidelines for the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

BLM moves to sync oil and gas management with state big-game protections

The federal Bureau of Land Management has published a new plan for managing public lands which will put oil and gas management in sync with Colorado's…

U.S. per capita consumption of fish and shellfish rose from nearly 16 lbs. in 2002 to more than 20 lbs. in 2021, a 31% increase according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. (Adobe Stock) <br />

New guidelines aim for sustainable growth of MA aquaculture

New global guidelines for aquaculture aim to address growing concerns about the industry's impact on the oceans. Scientists have suggested ways to …

According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the smallest bird that resides in the state, at 3 to 3 1/4 inches in length, is the ruby-throated hummingbird. The largest wild bird is the trumpeter swan, with a 7-foot wingspan. (Adobe Stock)

Study finds IL birds feel the effects of climate change

A new study by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests the long-term effects of climate change could create a higher risk of extinction f…

Wyoming's Bighorn Basin is located between mountain ranges that block the flow of moisture-laden air from both the east and west, making it one of the driest places in the state, according to the Water Resources Data System and State Climate Office. (BLM Wyoming)

Projected costs loom over benefits of proposed Bighorn Basin dam

Wyoming's irrigation infrastructure is aging and the state gets regular requests to update it but in some cases, project benefits may not outweigh …

The Black Swamp Conservancy has grown to protect more than 175 properties since 1997, covering more than 21,000 acres. (Linda/Adobe Stock)

Grants boost environmental education and restoration in Ohio

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is awarding $271,000 in grants for environmental education projects across the state. The programs will …

A new report from the Virginia Marine Resources Commission showed Chesapeake Bay's adult female blue crab population is around 133 million. While it is above the 72.5 million threshold to pause the harvest, it is well below the target of 196 million. (Adobe Stock)

VRMC votes to reopen winter blue crab harvest season

Virginia's Marine Resources Commission is ending the winter blue crab harvest prohibition. Crabbing is permitted from March to the middle of …

The Pilot Butte Wild Horse scenic loop runs between Rock Springs and Green River and through the White Mountain Herd Management Area, which encompasses over 390,000 acres. (Gates Frontiers Fund Wyoming Collection/Carol M. Highsmith Archive/Library of Congress)

BLM announces WY wild horse roundup to start in August

The Bureau of Land Management says it will start a wild horse roundup in Wyoming's White Mountain area, but wildlife advocates say the plan exceeds …

The Northern Goshawk is dependent on old-growth forests and is especially good at getting into tight spaces. A federal judge in Montana has blocked a logging project that threatened the birds' habitat. (Adobe Stock)

Federal judge blocks logging project, protects iconic hawk

A federal court judge in Montana blocked a large project which would have logged or clear-cut more than 10,000 acres of old-growth forest and threaten…

Suction dredge mining can have damaging impacts on rivers and other bodies of water. (nordroden/Adobe Stock)

SCOTUS turns down river dredge mining in ID without permit

A decision from the U.S. Supreme Court protects Idaho rivers from what conservation groups say are harmful mining practices. The justices rejected a …

Many parks require you to stay a minimum distance of 25 yards from most wildlife and 100 yards from predators like bears and wolves, according to the National Park Service. (Joe A. Chansak/Adobe Stock)

Wildlife advocates: Keep your distance from wild animals

As summer travel peaks, wildlife experts are urging people to maintain their distance from wild animals they may encounter. North Carolina, home to …

There were 165 wildlife-vehicle collisions in Teton County between May 2020 and April 2021, according to the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, the lowest number since data collection started in 2011. (Adobe Stock)

Park visitors cautioned to respect wildlife

July is one of the busiest months for national parks and wildlife advocates have tips for reducing conflicts with animals. Grand Teton and …

Wild animals can be aggressive if people don't respect their space, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

After 83-year-old gored in Yellowstone, wildlife experts warn bison 'not in a zoo'

Wildlife experts are warning people not to get too close to the animals in national parks as the summer travel season heats up. Overeager tourists …

Congressional Republicans have taken steps to remove the gray wolf from the endangered species list but the White House strongly opposes such a move. (Adobe Stock)

New legal action stems from WI wolf management plan

Wisconsin's wolf management plan has been in place for months now but the legal fallout continues. Wildlife organizations have filed a court appeal …

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimated up to 89.5% of the world's fish stocks are exploited at or beyond their maximum sustainable levels. (Adobe Stock)

Marine national monument off MA coast protects ocean biodiversity

A new marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean aims to protect one of the most biodiverse spots on the planet from overfishing. Located 130 …

The Middle Fork of the Salmon River was one of the first rivers protected as Wild and Scenic by the federal government in 1968. (NorthwestWildImages/Adobe Stock)

As Rivers Month wraps up, action still needed to protect ID rivers

National Rivers Month comes to an end this week and conservation groups said it is a reminder more action is needed to protect Idaho's rivers…

The wild and scenic Eel River is part of the Bureau of Land Management's planned 382,000-acre management area in northwest California. (Wikimedia Commons)

BLM releases final conservation plan for NW California public lands

Conservation advocates say a new Bureau of Land Management final Environmental Impact Statement takes positive steps toward developing a management pl…

The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is popular with hikers in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Judge set to rule on massive MT logging project

A federal judge in Montana is holding a hearing next Tuesday on a motion for an injunction against the Pintler Face logging and burning project on Bea…

Sage grouse have been petitioned for addition to the federal endangered species list nine times over the last 25 years, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report. (Western Watersheds Project)

Feds updating management plans for threatened sage grouse ecosystem

After nearly a decade of delays, a federal agency is working on a new resource management plan that will affect an iconic Western bird species…

Amphibians and reptiles have more restricted geographic ranges than other vertebrates and are highly susceptible to threats like habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation. (Adobe Stock)

BLM could throw lifeline to amphibians and reptiles

The recently finalized Bureau of Land Management Public Lands Rule could give a boost to America's most at-risk terrestrial vertebrates: amphibians an…

New Mexico is among states with the most diverse species of animals, including the African oryx, or gemsbok. (NationalParkService)

Advocates: Communities, wildlife benefitting from clean energy investments

Wildlife advocates say the current transition to clean energy will not only protect people in New Mexico communities, but also will have a huge …

Many of the rules governing oil and gas operations on Montana public lands had not been updated in a century. (Adobe Stock)

MT groups fight to preserve new BLM oil and gas rule

Montana groups are working to save a new Bureau of Land Management rule about oil and gas leasing on public lands. They have hand-delivered a …

South Dakota loses up to 100,000 acres of grasslands annually, according to the South Dakota Grassland Coalition. Grassland bird species are declining faster than any other group on the continent. (Gregory Johnston/Adobe Stock)

Support grows for threatened SD grasslands

About 1.6 million acres of Great Plains grasslands were destroyed in 2021 alone, according to a recent report, an area the size of Delaware. One …

A new Colorado law provides local and tribal governments with science-based resources for siting and permitting new renewable-energy projects, including maps identifying sensitive wildlife habitat. (Adobe Stock)

New resources available to site CO clean-energy projects, protect wildlife

To reach 100% clean energy by 2040 - a move seen as critical for averting the worst impacts of climate change - Colorado must generate five times more…

Ohio artist Kenia Lamarr created a mural for the rusty-patched bumblebee, the first native bee on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list. (Kenia Lamarr)

Pollinator festival, mural highlight rusty-patched bumblebee in Ohio

An upcoming festival in Columbus, Ohio, aims to raise awareness about the plight of pollinators and ongoing conservation efforts. According to the U.…

Lake County, despite its small size, annually contributes about $22 million to the state of Oregon in outdoor recreation revenues. (flickr)

Public lands in Oregon's Dark Sky Sanctuary set for BLM update

More than 3 million acres of public lands in southeastern Oregon are poised for enhanced management by the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM is …

The group says the United States should work with partner countries willing and able to enforce strict terms or face sanctions. (Anastasiia/Adobe Stock)

Environmental groups want say in Critical Mineral Agreements

A group of environmental and civil society organizations is fighting for better working conditions for people in countries that supply critical minera…

The United States loses on average more than 1 million acres of sage-grouse habitat each year to a combination of fires, invasive species, drought, energy development, mining, and roads. (Dale/Adobestock)

Public comment period closing on sage grouse protections

The public comment period closes next week on the Biden administration's plan to protect the sage grouse, a bird whose health is linked to the larger …

The white-nosed coatimundi, classified as an endangered species in New Mexico, roams and hunts during daytime hours in the Gila Wilderness. (National Park Service)

New Mexico celebrates 100 years of Gila Wilderness preservation

New Mexico's Gila Wilderness is special - not only for its natural beauty, but also because it received the world's first-ever "wilderness" …

Salt marshes are composed of a variety of rushes, sedges and grasses. Florida's dominant salt marsh species include black needle rush (Juncus roemerianus). (Florida DEP)

Conservation groups tout natural defenses against hurricanes

With the start of hurricane season, salt marshes are among the natural features playing a critical role in protecting coastal communities by …

More than one-third of plants and animals in Maine are expected to suffer dramatic population decline by the end of the century due to the impacts of climate change, according to the Natural Resources Council of Maine. (Adobe Stock)

Climate change alters ME biodiversity as species' range shifts north

Scientists said climate change is having an unprecedented and accelerating effect on the biodiversity of plants and animals in Maine. Rising sea …

Federal regulators are considering the effects modernizing America's energy grid will have on wildlife. A 2023 NatureServe report showed 40% of animals are at risk of extinction and 41% of ecosystems are at risk of range-wide collapse. (Adobe Stock)<br />

New transmission planning rule takes MA wildlife into account

Conservation groups in Massachusetts are backing the Biden Administration's new plan to update the nation's power grid. Studies show the U.S…

Conservation groups say Wisconsin's second National Estuarine Research Reserve, along Green Bay, would benefit nature, communities and the state's economy. (Adobe Stock)

Bay of Green Bay nominated as National Research Reserve site

Wisconsin has achieved another milestone toward securing its second National Estuarine Research Reserve bordering the Bay of Green Bay, the world's …

The World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Index details the ways that migratory freshwater fish species are under threat from habitat loss, exploitation, pollution and climate change. (Adobe Stock) The World Wildlife Fund's Living Planet Index details the ways that migratory freshwater fish species are under threat from habitat loss, exploitation, pollution and climate change. (Adobe Stock)

Study shows precipitous drop in US, global migratory fish populations

A new study shows since 1970, more than 80% of the global populations of freshwater migratory fish have declined significantly. The report calls …

The U.S. Forest Service received 275 public objections to its management plan for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests. (pmilota/Adobe Stock)

Conservation coalition: Management plan would 'degrade' ID, MT forests

A coalition of groups are criticizing plans for managing about 4 million acres of national forest lands in Idaho and Montana. Conservation groups in …

The North Carolina Division of Mitigation Services has determined the real estate value of salt marshes in the state is more than $123 billion, based on their overall contributions to the environment and economy. (Adobe Stock)

North Carolina launches five-year plan to restore salt marshes

North Carolina's 220,000 acres of salt marshes face multiple threats to their major roles in climate protection and ecosystem health, from rising …

The current lack of cohesive planning has made building new transmission lines difficult, prompting FERC's new rule. (Gregory Johnston/Adobe Stock)

FERC rule to spark energy transmission building nationwide

A new step from the federal government takes a step toward modernizing the process for building energy transmission lines - while also protecting wild…

Marine research on a recent expedition off of Santa Cruz Island in Southern California mapped the habitat of red gorgonian coral, sea stars and sheepshead fish. (Danny Ocampo/Oceana)

Ocean expedition seeks to map CA biodiversity

Marine researchers just wrapped up the first of three ocean expeditions off the coast of Southern California to map the biodiversity and support effor…

The southern resident sea otter was listed under the Endangered Species Act in 1977. The population went from just 50 animals in the 1930s to more than 3,000 today. (Lilian Carswell/USFWS)

Many outdoor events planned in CA for Endangered Species Day

Nature walks, festivals and more are happening this weekend to celebrate the 19th annual Endangered Species Day, which is tomorrow. California is …

Fungal decay and fire both break down hydrogen and carbon bonds, a process that releases energy. But while fire releases heat, mushrooms absorb that energy like people do when digesting food. (Adobe Stock)

Mushrooms can help prevent mega-wildfires

By Stephen Robert Miller for the Food and Environment Reporting Network.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Colorado News Connection reporting for t…

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, red wolves were first listed as endangered in 1967, and are currently listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

Red wolf pups signal hope for endangered species in NC

Ahead of Endangered Species Day this Friday, conservation groups in North Carolina are celebrating the birth of eight red wolf pups at the Alligator …

Local oyster harvesters help deploy limestone rock, a restoration material, for the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative oyster reef restoration experiments. (Courtesy FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory)

Community effort aims to restore Apalachicola Bay oyster harvests, livelihoods

Since the 2020 collapse of the famed Apalachicola Bay oyster fishery, people who made their livelihoods on the bay have been counting on local …

Maine's aquaculture harvest more than doubled in volume and in value over the past decade. It creates more than $100 million in annual revenue for the state, according to the Maine International Trade Center. (Adobe Stock)<br />

New England groups warn against 'factory' fish farming in federal waters

New England fishermen and environmental groups are working to prevent the growth of industrial-size fish farms in U.S. open waters. They said …

The Mojave Desert Tortoise is now listed as endangered in California, but is still listed as �threatened� under the federal Endangered Species Act. (Joanna Gilkeson/USFWS)

CA lists Mojave Desert Tortoise as endangered

Groups that fight to recover endangered species are praising the California Fish and Game Commission's decision to change the Mojave Desert tortoise f…

Gray wolf pack sizes range from two to 11 wolves. Most packs contain four to six individuals, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. (Adobe Stock)

WA considers reclassifying gray wolves as 'sensitive' species

The State of Washington is proposing to downgrade gray wolves from "endangered" to "sensitive" status as a species. At last count, there were 260 …

A well-designed riparian buffer can prevent 80% of excess nutrients from entering rivers and streams. (Adobe Stock)

Most SD surface waters fall below state quality standards

There are nearly 150,000 miles of rivers and streams in South Dakota, but new data show many of those don't meet state standards for safe water …

More than 80 national park units, including Rocky Mountain National Park, sit next to public lands managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. (Adobe Stock)

New BLM rule could help protect America's national parks

As critics work to roll back new Bureau of Land Management rules, public lands advocates are defending the agency's move to put conservation uses on …

New federal rules will govern 245 million acres of public lands in the United States, including in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

New oil and gas mining rules benefit wilderness, rankle companies

The Bureau of Land Management has released a pair of rules that will change how the agency manages 245 million acres of public land. The rules …

Currently, 90% of public land managed by BLM is open to commodity-driven extraction, like mining and oil and gas development, according to the National Parks Conservation Association. (Adobe Stock)

National parks in UT benefit from BLM rules

Conservation experts are applauding the Bureau of Land Management for releasing two new rules that recognize conservation as an essential part of publ…

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