Our Organization

Through the African Elephant Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program supports the conservation of African savanna and forest elephants and their habitats across Africa's 37 elephant range countries. Collaborating with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a diverse array of other partners, we implement a strategic, results-based approach to African elephant conservation. Supported activities range from preventing or tackling poaching and conducting applied research and monitoring, to developing and executing ivory action plans and mitigating human-elephant conflict.

Maintaining good air quality is important not only for human health but also for the health of natural resources. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitors air quality in selected sites to minimize harm from human-caused air pollution to wildlife and sensitive wildlife habitat on national wildlife refuges. These efforts promote biological integrity and diversity and the environmental health of the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Under direction of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Alaska is responsible for the conservation of polar bears, northern sea otters, and Pacific walruses that inhabit Alaskan waters. Our sister agency, the National Marine Fisheries Service, is responsible for whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions.

Healthy fisheries are core to the conservation work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We are working with partners to protect and enhance the health of fish and other aquatic animals in aquaculture and in the wild.

Aquatic Resource Education grant funds are authorized through the Sport Fish Restoration Act, which provide funds to the states, the District of Columbia and insular areas fish and wildlife agencies, for their aquatic resource education programs. The purpose of these funds are to enhance the public's understanding of aquatic resources and sportfishing, and to promote the development of responsible attitudes and ethics toward the aquatic environment.

Aquatic invasive species cause tremendous harm to our environment, our economy, and our health. They can drive out and eat native plants and wildlife, spread diseases, and damage infrastructure. We work to protect our waterways and the communities that depend on them from the threat of invasive species.

Aquatic Nuisance Species are organisms that produce harmful impacts on aquatic ecosystems or activities or dependent on these ecosystems such as agricultural, aquacultural, or recreation. ANS may occur in freshwater, estuarine, and marine waters and are one of the most significant threats to waters of the United States. Aquatic Nuisance Species are also known as Aquatic Invasive Species.

Through the Asian Elephant Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program provides financial and technical support to partners to reduce threats to Asian elephants in their natural habitats across Asia's 13 elephant range states. Collaborating with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a range of non-governmental partners, we implement a strategic, results-based approach to Asian elephant conservation, supporting activities such as protected area and habitat management, human-elephant conflict mitigation, applied research, improved law enforcement, and community education and outreach.

Historic funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law builds on proven projects, expands partnerships, and develops sustainable solutions for the Klamath Basin. 

Preventing and combating aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe with the Washoe Tribe and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency.

The Boating Access sub-program of the Sport Fish Restoration Grant program provides federal funds for facilities that create or add to public access for recreational boating and improvements to waterways that increase access to recreational boating opportunities.

The Boating Infrastructure Grant Program provides funds for tie-up facilities and support facilities for transient vessels greater than 26 feet in length for stays of up to 15 days.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) manages public lands in all 50 states and 5 U.S. territories and within an hour’s drive of 100 major cities. This varied and abundant network of public lands and waters generate many economic benefits for both rural and urban areas.

Most bird families across the continent are declining, and many species are at risk of disappearing entirely. It is estimated that North America has lost nearly 3 billion breeding birds since 1970, which is roughly 1 out of every 4 birds. By working together, we can strengthen our partnerships, efforts, creativity, and capacity to sustain and grow bird populations to Bring Birds Back.

The Recovery Program for the California condor is an international multi-entity effort, led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Partners in condor recovery include numerous stretching across state, federal, non-governmental and tribal partners.

The Recovery Program is working to establish robust self-sustaining populations of condors within the historical distribution. The program includes several key components including addressing threats to the species in the wild; captive breeding; and release and monitoring at our field sites. In addition, we are working to increase the public's knowledge about the species and how you can support recovery of the condor.

In 1967 the California condor was listed as endangered by the federal government under the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, the predecessor to the Endangered Species Act, and in 1979 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established the California Condor Recovery Program. The 1996 Recovery plan established goals (criteria) for down listing the species from Endangered to Threatened. These include establishing two wild, geographically distinct self-sustaining populations, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs. In addition, the plan includes maintaining a third population of condors in captivity.

The species historically ranged from California to Florida and western Canada to northern Mexico but by the mid-20th century, condor populations had dropped dramatically.

By 1982, only 22 condors survived in the wild, in an effort, to avoid extinction of the species, the Service and partners began to capture the remaining wild condors. Five years later, all remaining wild condors were in captivity and a captive breeding program to save the species was underway.

Today, the Service, and its public and private partners, have grown the total wild free-flying condor population to more than 300 condors. In 2004, the Recovery Program reached an important milestone with the first successful chick hatched in the wild. In 2008, another major milestone was reach when more condors were flying free in the wild than in captivity for the first time since the program began.

Wildfires have burned millions of acres across California. In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with partners to find innovative ways to accelerate projects that reduce the risk of large-scale, high-severity wildfires which devastate communities, infrastructure and wildlife through the California Forest Conservation Plan.

We assess the conservation status of species, using the best scientific information available, and identify those that warrant listing as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act. A species that we find warrants a proposal to list as endangered or threatened, but listing is precluded by higher priority listing activities, is referred to as a candidate species. Working with public and private partners, we develop and facilitate the use of voluntary conservation tools to address threats and improve habitat to eliminate the need for listing.

Once spanning more than 580 million acres across Indigenous Lands, Canada, the United States, and Mexico, the Central Grasslands, also known as the Great Plains, are the world’s most imperiled and least conserved ecosystem. One of the last intact temperate grassland landscapes in the world, these grasslands are experiencing greater proportions of biodiversity loss than any other ecosystem and the magnitude of grassland loss is causing a landscape-scale collapse that threatens communities, industries, and wildlife.

Signed into law in October 2020, the Chesapeake Watershed Investments for Landscape Defense (Chesapeake WILD) Act directed the Secretary of the Interior, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to develop and implement the non-regulatory Chesapeake WILD Program.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a global treaty to ensure international trade in wild plants and animals is legal, traceable, and biologically sustainable. As issues of wildlife use grow ever more complex, CITES provides tools to effectively conserve the world’s diverse natural resources.

The United States is one of 185 Parties, which includes 184 member countries and the European Union, that has agreed to implement the treaty to help control global over-exploitation of wildlife and the conservation of species.

The Clean Vessel Act (CVA) program provides funding to state boating agencies for the construction, renovation, operation, and maintenance of pump-out stations and waste reception facilities to meet the needs of recreational boaters.

We administer the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA), which saves taxpayer dollars and encourages the conservation of storm-prone and dynamic coastal barriers by withdrawing the availability of federal funding and financial assistance within a designated set of units known as the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS). The CBRS includes 3.8 million acres along the Atlantic, Gulf of America, Great Lakes, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico coasts.

The Coastal Program is one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s most effective resources for restoring and protecting fish and wildlife habitat on public and privately-owned lands. We play an important role in promoting the Service’s mission and priorities, delivering landscape-scale conservation, and implementing strategic habitat conservation.

Wildlife trafficking – the poaching or taking of protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their related parts and products – has escalated into an international crisis. Wildlife trafficking is both a critical conservation concern and a threat to global security with significant effects on the national interests of the United States and the interests of our partners around the world. Through the Combating Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) Program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program supports innovative projects to halt wildlife trafficking, providing a lifeline to the many species worldwide threatened by illegal trade.

For over eight years, CART enhanced collaborative conservation efforts at all scales by facilitating issue-based, not geography-based, peer-to-peer knowledge sharing. By connecting hundreds of individuals from dozens of organizations across North America, CART helped bridge the gaps between work at project, landscape, and operational scales.

As of July 2025, CART will not be developing new case studies for the foreseeable future as the support and resources to continue this effort are no longer available. Until then, this library of resources remains fully available to continue the sharing of lessons learned and improvement of conservation outcomes.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works collaboratively with other federal agencies, industries, and other stakeholders to achieve infrastructure development goals in ways that are sustainable and compatible with the conservation of fish, wildlife, and their habitats.

Once common throughout parts of the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico, the Mexican wolf was all but eliminated from the wild by the 1970s due to conflicts with livestock. In 1976, the Mexican wolf was listed as endangered and a binational captive breeding program was initiated soon after to save this unique gray wolf from extinction. In 1998, the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service released the first captive Mexican wolves into the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area in Arizona and New Mexico. Absent from the landscape for over 30 years, the resounding howl of the endangered Mexican wolf could once again be heard in the mountains of the Southwest.

Environmental contaminants experts within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ensure that environmental cleanups of polluted lands and waters minimize toxicological and ecological risks and restore the site to a safe and inhabitable condition.

The mission of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The FWS procures goods and services in support of this mission.

Grants for states and territories, offered through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund, fund participation in a wide array of voluntary conservation projects for species listed as endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act, as well as candidate species and at-risk species.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's scientific data serve as the foundation for future conservation actions. The Service has committed to the goals of good data stewardship in order to make better decisions based on defensible, high-quality scientific information, practice more efficient project management, and improve conservation delivery, all to provide beneficial conservation outcomes.

The Fish and Wildlife Service's Gulf Restoration Office (GRO) is responsible for managing a large and diverse team of Service professionals who are planning and implementing Gulf of America restoration projects and activities. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlements are the funding sources for these projects. The GRO also provides technical assistance to other, non-Deepwater Horizon, oil spills located in the Southeast Region f the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Restoring the Delaware River Basin

The Desert Tortoise Recovery Office works to provide effective and coordinated recovery, research, and monitoring activities for the Mojave desert tortoise; provide a sound and defensible scientific basis for decision-making; assess the benefits of recovery actions; provide information and syntheses; facilitate communication of progress toward, and maintain an open dialogue regarding, desert tortoise recovery goals; and provide greater credibility and support for recovery efforts.

Division of Digital, Print and Internal Communications is responsible for web, social media, and video strategy and development, as well as printing and publishing operations in support of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mission.

Forty years ago, our national symbol, the bald eagle, was in danger of extinction throughout most of its range. Habitat destruction and degradation, illegal shooting, and the contamination of its food source, largely as a consequence of DDT, decimated the eagle population. Habitat protection afforded by the Endangered Species Act, the federal government’s banning of DDT, and conservation actions taken by the American public have helped bald eagles make a remarkable recovery. Bald eagles were removed from the endangered species list in August 2007 because their populations recovered sufficiently, and their population has continued to grow in the years since. Bald eagles are a fantastic conservation success story, a pride of the American people.

The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act continue to provide protections not only for bald eagles, but golden eagles, too. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works to assure the preservation of both species of eagles.

Restoring America’s Natural Infrastructure
Ecosystem Restoration is a significant down payment in protecting our shared natural heritage. In collaboration with states, Tribes, local communities and federal agencies, we are using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to advance habitat restoration, conduct invasive species control and conserve at-risk species. These activities benefit several significant ecosystems and recreational sites.

Emergency management is a key part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mission of protecting fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Our emergency management experts provide strategy and support in preparing for and responding to natural and man-made disasters.

We provide national leadership in the protection and restoration of fish, wildlife, and their habitats when they are threatened or harmed by illegal oil discharges, releases of hazardous substances, or other environmental pollution.

A Friends partnership is made up of a nonprofit Friends organization and a national wildlife refuge or national fish hatchery. All refuge Friends organizations share the same primary mission: the support of a national wildlife refuge, a complex of refuges or a program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. It is described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government. Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of nine exemptions that protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement.

Geospatial science, data, and technologies are vital components needed to meet the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To paraphrase one of our regional geospatial coordinators, “No major conservation actions happens without geospatial technology, science, and data.” Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), and remote sensing are the primary elements which fall under the geospatial services umbrella. Geospatial services provide the technology to create, analyze, maintain, and distribute geospatial data and information. GIS, GPS, and remote sensing play a vital role in all of the Service’s long-term goals, including meeting the challenges posed by climate change.

The Highlands region spans 3.4 million acres across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. In an effort to conserve natural resources in this region, the Highlands Conservation Act was passed in 2004, founding the Highlands Conservation Act grant program. This grant program is among the many that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers to help partners conserve an array of plants, fish, wildlife and their habitats. Grant funding supports states, non-governmental organizations and others working to sustain key landscapes in the Highlands region for the benefit of both people and wildlife.

This iconic landscape is distinguished by Appalachian ridges, hills and plateaus. It is marked by deciduous and coniferous forests, streams and lakes, and working farms.

Since passage of the Highlands Conservation Act, $52 million in federal funds, matched by $79 million in non-federal funds, have been awarded to permanently protect more than 19,000 acres of land. Projects supported by the Highlands Conservation Act grant program are led by state agencies and address lands that support key conservation objectives outlined in the act, such as clean drinking water, healthy forests, thriving wildlife populations, productive agriculture and abundant recreational opportunities.

In 2024, the Highlands Conservation Act grant program marked 20 years of land conservation in the four-state Highlands region. The program was updated and expanded to address the issues of our time — climate resilience, habitat connectivity and access to the outdoors — and broaden its potential reach to 10 million acres and communities. Plus, county and municipal governments can now receive grant funds and conserve lands.

FWS Human Resources is a cohesive, collaborative team of professionals dedicated to creating partnerships with employees and leadership focused on supporting all FWS mission areas.

The Hunter Education Program provides grant funds to state and U.S. territory fish and wildlife agencies to provide instruction in firearm and archery safety, wildlife management, conservation, ethics, game laws, outdoor survival, and wilderness first aid.

"The Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Council's purpose is to provide recommendations to the Federal Government, through the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, that (a) benefit wildlife resources; (b) encourage partnership among the public; sporting conservation organizations; Federal, State, Tribal, and territorial governments; and (c) benefit fair chase recreational hunting and safe recreational shooting sports. "

We are committed to using sound science in decision-making and to providing the American public with information of the highest quality possible.

Our infrastructure portfolio drives local economic activity and supports every recreation and conservation activity that takes place on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands. Infrastructure and the Service maintenance workforce are the foundation of almost everything that occurs within the National Wildlife Refuge System. Water control infrastructure helps maintain healthy habitats. Visitor centers, trails and roads improve the public’s experience and access. Fleet maintenance provides boats, airplanes, heavy equipment, trucks and other tools needed for fire management, law enforcement and habitat management.

Preventing the introduction of new harmful species is the only way to fully avoid impacts of injurious species on local, regional, and national economies and infrastructure, and on the natural resources of the United States.

International Conservation Chiefs Academy
"Strengthening Global Law Enforcement Relationships to Combat Illegal Wildlife Trafficking"

Conservation through the Arts

Latin America is the most biologically diverse region of the world and of critical importance to wildlife conservation efforts in the Western Hemisphere and globally. Aside from providing important habitat for many species, including many that are shared with the United States, Latin America's ecosystems help reduce the severity of climate change impacts, provide important economic benefits, and are critical for regional stability. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Latin America Regional Program works with a wide range of partners to conserve priority species, habitats, and ecological processes across landscapes with high biodiversity value in Mexico and Central and South America.

We use the best scientific information available to determine whether to add a species to (list) or remove from (delist) the federal lists of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. We also determine whether already listed species should be reclassified from threatened to endangered (uplist) or from endangered to threatened (downlist). All species, both foreign and domestic, may be considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

We provide leadership in the conservation and management of our nation's marine mammals under our jurisdiction – sea otters, Pacific walruses, polar bears, and West Indian manatees – as well as the marine ecosystems that support them.

The Marine Turtle Conservation Fund (MCTF) was established under the Marine Turtle Conservation Act and is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs program. Through the MTCF, we provide technical and financial assistance and lead international conservation efforts to protect and recover sea turtles around the world. Since sea turtles migrate vast distances throughout the oceans, international collaboration is key to their conservation. We work closely with partners, including U.S. agencies, other governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, and communities, to implement a strategic, results-based approach to sea turtle conservation around the world. Annually, we support sea turtle projects in more than 30 countries, funding activities ranging from nesting beach monitoring to reducing threats and strengthening stewardship.

The MENTOR Fellowship Program brings together teams of emerging conservation leaders for rigorous academic and field-based training, long-term mentoring, experiential learning, and project design and implementation to address major threats facing wildlife populations. These fellowship programs help strengthen capacity in-country – a fundamental objective of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service globally.

Monitoring migratory game bird harvest in the United States 

The purpose of Migratory Bird Permits is to promote long-term conservation of migratory birds and their habitats and encourage joint stewardship with others.

We foster collaborative partnerships with the Department of Defense to promote conservation on military lands. Working under the authority of the Sikes Act, we offer guidance and field support for the conservation and management of fish and wildlife resources on military installations while supporting military readiness.

This grant program provides funding for wildlife and sport fish restoration projects which address problems affecting states on a regional or national basis. Priorities are established by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA).

This competitive program provides funding for long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems by helping States and Territories to protect, restore and enhance coastal habitats.

The National Eagle Repository is a one of a kind facility, operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. The primary purpose of the National Eagle Repository is to receive, evaluate, store and distribute the remains and feathers of deceased golden and bald eagles to Native Americans and Alaska Natives who are enrolled members of federally-recognized Tribes throughout the United States, and to develop and provide educational programs.

This is an official website of the United States government. This website and publications produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are the only official sources of information about the National Eagle Repository. You may also contact us at repository@fws.gov and 303 287 2110 for more information about our services.

The National Eagle Repository changed its operational procedures in response to an outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Learn more about HPAI and our response below in "Our Library."

As a lead Federal agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife (Service) prepares National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance for a variety of Service-led major Federal actions. With special expertise in fish and wildlife and associated habitats and in some instances, jurisdictional authority, we also fulfill a nation-wide role as a cooperating or participating agency to assist other Federal agencies in preparation and review of NEPA compliance. Service engagement throughout the NEPA process allows for identification of potential effects to fish and wildlife resources and associated habitats, conservation opportunities, and mitigation measures.

Housed on the grounds of D.C. Booth Historic National Fish Hatchery, the National Fish & Aquatic Conservation Archives (NFACA) is a national program within the Fish & Aquatic Conservation Program of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The NFACA collection collects, preserves and shares the stories of the history, culture, management, resources, challenges, and successes of the Fish & Aquatic Conservation Program. The artifacts and records encompass the breadth and depth of its history, which goes back to 1871. The U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries, as it was then called, is our nation’s oldest federal conservation agency (and is now part of today’s U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service).

The D.C. Booth hatchery staff established the NFACA Collection in the early 1970’s. Today the collection comprises over 2 million objects and archival documents from our fish stations, past and present, across the United States.

The National Fish Habitat Partnership is a comprehensive effort to treat the causes of fish habitat decline, not just the symptoms. The Partnership is a national investment strategy to maximize the impact of conservation dollars on the ground. Funds are leveraged through regional partnerships to address the nation’s biggest fish habitat challenges.

The National Fish Hatchery System is a global leader in conservation aquaculture. Across the United States, 71 national fish hatcheries raise millions of fish and aquatic wildlife each year to enhance state and tribally managed recreational fisheries, boost local economic development, fulfill tribal trust responsibilities, recover threatened and endangered species, and prevent at-risk species from becoming endangered.

Across the country, millions of barriers are fragmenting rivers, blocking fish migration, and putting communities at higher risk to flooding. Removing those barriers is one of the most effective ways to help conserve vulnerable species while building safer infrastructure for people. The National Fish Passage Program restores rivers, protects wildlife, and rebuilds economies.

The Office of the Native American Liaison advises leadership on actions and identifies project areas federal and Tribal conservation efforts will effectively conserve fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats. To support national efforts Native American Liaisons are placed in each region as an integral resource to provide their expertise to staff as they work with federally recognized Indian Tribes.

The National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, & Wildlife-Associated Recreation is coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides information on individuals involved in fishing, hunting, and other wildlife-related recreation.

The National Wildlife Property Repository is the national receiving and storage facility for wildlife products seized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and our law enforcement partners. No live wildlife is stored at the facility, but there are roughly 1.2 million items in the collection, derived from various wildlife species from around the world.

The National Wildlife Refuge System coordinates an interdisciplinary science team to inform planning and management decisions for frontline managers. By integrating findings from numerous scientific fields — including wildlife biology, air quality and human dimensions — managers can better address complex management challenges. These science programs are administered by the Natural Resource Program Center in Fort Collins, Colorado — where many federal agencies share research operations and facilities.

The inception of the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program in New York began in 1990 and has been growing at a steady pace ever since. Fish and wildlife habitats that were once in a degraded state are now providing important cover, food, water and breeding areas for many species.

The Training and Development Unit: Preparing the Front Line

Proper Training is critical to the role of law enforcement and providing officers with the knowledge, skills, and professionalism to do their jobs. Whether it is initial training for new recruits learning the basic skills and knowledge needed for their new positions or providing advanced and refresher training to seasoned agents, inspectors, and conservation officers, the Office of Law Enforcement’s (OLE) Training and Development Unit (TDU) is responsible for planning, coordinating and providing that training. In addition to preparing its own workforce, the TDU also assists its partners by providing conservation training to state, tribal and international partners here in the United States and in other regions of the world.

The Pacific Region is committed to collaborating with our numerous partners, including Tribes and state, local and federal agencies, Native Hawaiians, and Indigenous Pacific Island communities.

We administer a network of grant programs, providing millions of dollars to states, tribes, and territories in the Pacific Region to benefit land, water, wildlife, and people.

Our Recovery Permit Program manages Endangered Species Act Section 10(a)(1)(A), or recovery permits, for the Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Pacific Southwest Region co-manages more than 300 animals and plants listed as endangered or threatened species within California, Nevada, and a portion of Klamath basin in Oregon. On this website, you will find information and resources that assist recovery permit holders and those interested in applying for a recovery permit.

• To apply for a recovery permit, review the information on the Application Process tab to learn more.

• If you have a recovery permit and want to learn more about the requirements to remain in good standing, please review the Permit Requirements tab.

• For general questions, resources, scenarios, and more, please review the FAQs and Resources tab.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 8 is headquartered in Sacramento, California, and has federal fish and wildlife management responsibilities in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 provides a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats both domestically and abroad. Under Section 7 of the ESA, federal agencies are required to consult with us on action that they fund, authorize, permit, or carry out. Section 7 Consultation is the process that federal agencies must use to ensure they are not harming listed species or their habitat.

Although one finds partnerships and partnering opportunities throughout the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Office of Communications' Partners and Intergovernmental Affairs coordinates many of them, working with other federal government bureaus, and non-governmental entities and individuals.

Permits are tools that enable us to authorize and monitor activities consistent with the conservation, protection, and enhancement of wild animals and plants. Permits balance the use and conservation of protected wildlife species and help ensure no species go extinct as a result of the legal wildlife trade. They also gather data used to monitor trade and conservation needs of wild plants and animals so future generations can enjoy them.

Our Branch helps U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offices with everything from layout and design to printing and publishing.

The goal of the FWS Privacy program is to ensure that all Personally Identifiable Information (PII) entrusted to the Service from members of the public, project partners, and personnel is protected and handled according to the Fair Information Practice Principles upon which the Privacy Act and other privacy legislation is based.

Public Affairs works to ensure the public can find out about us and our work in a timely way and in formats they can easily access, use, and understand.

The Records and Information Management Branch, which falls under the Division of Information Resources and Technology Management, manages the Bureau’s Records Program. They support FWS to assure proper documentation of records for the organization, functions, policies, decisions, procedures, and essential transactions of the Service and designed to furnish the information necessary to protect the legal and financial rights of the Government and of persons directly affected by the Bureau’s activities. They ensure that the FWS operating units, develop, maintain, archive, or dispose of official records in conformance to law. They conduct audits and educates FWS employees regarding filing records, records retention, and disposition of federal records.

We work with partners to conserve Endangered Species Act (ESA) listed threatened species and endangered species and the ecosystems upon which they depend, developing and maintaining conservation programs for these species to improve their status to the point that ESA protection is no longer necessary for survival. This process is called recovery.

Guided by the founding principles of the National Wildlife Refuge System and the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, federal wildlife officers protect wildlife and habitat and make refuges safe places for staff and visitors; conserve America’s natural resources; and seek to exemplify excellence in public service to all.

Through the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs Program provides financial and technical support to restore rhinoceros and tiger populations to healthy numbers in the wild. Collaborating with national governments, U.S. agencies, and a range of other partners, we implement a strategic, results-based approach to tiger conservation in Asia and rhinoceros conservation in Africa and Asia. Supported activities range from tackling poaching to managing habitats and ecosystems, supporting protected areas, conducting species research and conservation, developing community conservation initiatives, mitigating human-wildlife conflict, and raising public awareness.

The western United States’ sagebrush country encompasses over 175 million acres of public and private lands. America’s sagebrush ecosystem is the largest contiguous ecotype in the continental United States, comprising one-third of the land mass of the continental lower 48. It is the lifeblood of rural communities in the West, and serves as crucial habitat for a diversity of wildlife, including the iconic greater sage-grouse and over 350 other species.

Our work in the sagebrush ecosystem is focused on bringing together the science, technology, people, and tools to keep our lands, people, animals, and water system healthy. Our projects are focused on safeguarding precious water resources and areas threatened by invasive annual grasses, wildfire, and encroaching conifers. We protect these resources by building partnerships and networks to work in tandem to conserve high-quality "core sagebrush areas" that have high value and priority. Our approach is to collaborate with agencies, Tribes, private landowners, and nongovernmental organizations to sustain our communities, economy, and environment.

The Saginaw Bay to Western Lake Erie Coastal Wetland Conservation Blueprint is a voluntary, partnership-driven plan for enhancing and restoring coastal wetlands that provide essential benefits for communities of people and wildlife in Michigan and Ohio.

Did you know that there is a simple and concrete way for you to help support the conservation of elephants, rhinos, great apes, tigers, marine turtles, and tortoises and freshwater turtles around the world? By purchasing the Save Vanishing Species Stamp, nicknamed the "Tiger Stamp," Americans have raised nearly $8 million, supporting more than 150 projects around the world and contributing directly to the conservation of some of the most beloved endangered species on Earth.

The Tiger Stamp, featuring an Amur Tiger cub by artist Nancy Stahl, was launched in 2011 and represents the first stamp in the history of the U.S. Postal Service to raise funds for international conservation. To date, more than 67 million Tiger Stamps have been sold.

The price of the stamp marginally exceeds the cost of first class postage. A portion of the proceeds of each Tiger Stamp goes directly to conserving endangered species around the world.

The Southeast Region carries out this mission within the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Our regional office is located in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Sport Fish Restoration Program was created in 1950 to restore and better manage America's declining fish resources.

The Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council is a Federal Advisory Committee Act group that advises the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Commerce on aquatic conservation and restoration endeavors in​ ​fresh, estuarine, and marine environments that benefit recreational fishery resources, enhance recreational boating, and encourage partnerships among industry, the public, and government to advance these efforts.

Attention School teachers, Homeschool groups and Scout leaders: Come to the St Marks National Wildlife Refuge for a FREE field trip! You can pick from one of our current education programs or our Environmental Educator can tailor your trip to fit what you are studying in the classroom. Each lesson incorporates a variety of hands-on activities into every program. Through multi-sensory experiences, audience interaction, fun animal bio facts and meaningful contact with Refuge Staff, all participants may experience a new awareness and appreciation for the natural world.

Established in 2000, State Wildlife Grants provide money to states, territories, commonwealths, and the District of Columbia (D.C.) to support proactive wildlife conservation such as research, surveys, and species and habitat management. Projects supported by these grants focus on wildlife species of greatest conservation need identified in State Wildlife Action Plans.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) administers the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Advisory Council (Council) and its six Boards established in the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116-9) and America’s Conservation Enhancement Act (P.L. 116-188).

The Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Conservation Fund is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's International Affairs program. We support on-the-ground conservation efforts to protect and recover some of the most imperiled tortoises and freshwater turtles around the world. We focus on projects that protect these species in their natural habitats and reduce poaching and trafficking.

A program that supports city partners in conserving birds and their habitats and providing opportunities for community engagement in bird-related recreation, education, and conservation activities in urban and suburban areas.

The Division of Visitor Services and Communications manages opportunities for outdoor recreation that draw millions of people each year to national wildlife refuges, boosting local economies. Many visitors take part in heritage sports such as hunting and fishing. Others enjoy walking, paddling, wildlife viewing or nature photography. All these activities offer visitors a chance to unplug from the stresses of modern life and reconnect with their natural surroundings.

Managing water resources is key to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mission of conserving and protecting wildlife for the benefit of the American people.

Providing Funding for both Research and Management Activities

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (Partners Program) was nationally initiated in 1987 to help protect, enhance and restore wildlife habitat. The program is designed for use on privately owned (non-federal) lands, providing landowners with technical and financial assistance to restore fish and wildlife habitats.

Wilderness areas are wild, undeveloped, federally protected areas where you can see wildlife in its natural habitat, enjoy adventure and unmechanized recreation, or just relish solitude. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages more than 20 million acres of Congressionally designated wilderness — about one-fifth of all the designated wilderness in the nation.

The Wildlife Restoration Program provides grant funds to the states and insular areas fish and wildlife agencies for projects to restore, conserve, manage and enhance wild birds and mammals and their habitat. Projects include providing public use and access to wildlife resources, wildlife area acquisition and management, research, hunter education and development and management of shooting ranges. The Program was first authorized by the Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson PR) of 1937.