The Louisiana Black Bear: A Recovery Success Story
The Louisiana black bear is recovered. The species became a symbol of the nation's fledgling conservation efforts in 1902 when President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear that was trapped and tied to a tree by members of his hunting party...Read More
Stories from - LOUISIANA
View All StoriesWhoopers Return to Louisiana After 60 Years
In February 2011, 10 young whooping cranes reared at the U.S. Geological Survey's Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland, were flown to .... Read More
Stories from - NEW YORK
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Louisiana Black Bear Recovery: Don't Feed the Bears
When folks in Patterson, Louisiana see an old white pick-up truck with a "Don't Feed Bears" bumper sticker, they know that Catherine Siracusa is on patrol. Siracusa is the Black Bear Conflict Officer ... Read More
Featured Species in Louisiana
Swallow-tailed kite
The rare swallow-tailed kite is considered one of the most threatened land birds currently without federal protection. Photo credit: Todd Schneider, GA DNR Wildlife Resources Division
Swallow-tailed kite.
Photo credit: USFWS
Louisiana black bear
The Louisiana black bear was once a common inhabitant of forested regions of eastern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Decline of this species, throughout its range, was due to depletion of populations through over harvest by humans, and to loss and fragmentation of suitable forested habitats.
Louisiana black bear.
Photo credit: USGS
Pallid sturgeon
Pallid sturgeon are slow growing fish that feed primarily on small fish and immature aquatic insects. This species of sturgeon is seldom seen and is one of the least understood fish in the Missouri and Mississippi River drainages. Photo credit: Ken Bouc, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
Pallid sturgeon.
Photo credit: USFWS
Partnership Stories in Louisiana
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Safe Harbor Agreement
Red-cockaded woodpeckers, and their habitat, are protected under the Endangered Species Act. You won't find an abundance of these birds in our state, but we rank second only to Florida in total numbers. And with a little help from DNR biologists, the red-cockaded woodpecker might be well on its way to making South Carolina, number one. More »
Found in Louisiana
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The endangered Louisiana quillwort (Isoetes louisianensis) is a nonflowering, grasslike plant that is closely related to the fern. The plant, which is thought to be one of the rarest quillworts in North America, grows along cool, clear streams in St. Tammany and Washington parishes in Louisiana.
Photo credit: Carl Taylor, USFS -
The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) is a subspecies of the American black bear found in Louisiana, south Mississippi and east Texas. These bears tend to range over large areas in search of basic needs such as food, escape cover, den sites, and mates. Males have an average range of 20,000 acres. These animals are omnivorous and typically feed on a variety of food resources including acorns, blackberries, grass, bugs, and small animals.