Stories from the Home Page
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A male Kirtland’s warbler. The once-endangered species recovered with help from the State Wildlife Grant Program. Credit: Joel Trick/USFWS
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States Receive $55 Million to Protect Vulnerable WildlifeFebruary 26, 2021Imperiled wildlife and their habitats will benefit from $55 million thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s State Wildlife Grant Program. The program establishes a conservation partnership among state fish and wildlife agencies, their partners, and the Service. Funded projects accelerate the recovery of endangered species, like the Kirtland’s Warbler, and can prevent others from being listed under the Endangered Species Act. |
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A male Kirtland’s warbler. The once-endangered species recovered with help from the State Wildlife Grant Program. Credit: Joel Trick/USFWS
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Two anglers on a rocky beach. Purchasing fishing equipment supports conservation projects. Credit: Sam Stukel/USFWS
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$1 Billion Sent to State Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Bolstering Conservation and Recreation ProjectsFebruary 25, 2021State fish and wildlife agencies across the country will receive $1 billion thanks to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program, a partnership among state wildlife agencies, the outdoor industry and the Service. Generated by the hunting, angling and boating industries, in cooperation with outdoor enthusiasts, these funds are distributed by the Service to ensure all wildlife agencies receive support. |
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Two anglers on a rocky beach. Purchasing fishing equipment supports conservation projects. Credit: Sam Stukel/USFWS
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The Washington State Department of Ecology, in partnership with the Stillaguamish Tribe, will protect and restore 537 acres of coastal wetlands that will benefit a wide range of fish and wildlife species. Credit: Washington State Department of Ecology
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Service Awards More Than $27 Million to Help Coastal Wetland Ecosystems Become More Resilient, Boost Economy and Support ConservationFebruary 24, 2021Coastal wetland habitat conservation is critical to ensure that important habitat, wildlife and coastal communities continue to thrive for future generations. Today, the Service will award more than $27 million to support 33 projects in 14 coastal states under the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. State, local and tribal governments, private landowners, conservation groups and other partners will contribute more than $22.2 million in additional funds to these projects. |
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The Washington State Department of Ecology, in partnership with the Stillaguamish Tribe, will protect and restore 537 acres of coastal wetlands that will benefit a wide range of fish and wildlife species. Credit: Washington State Department of Ecology
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The water at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is crowded with waterfowl early in the morning. Credit: USFWS
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How Conservation Helps Fill in the Gaps of HistoryFebruary 22, 2021The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and The Conservation Fund recently acquired 2,691 acres of forested wetlands for Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. Wildlife aren’t the only ones that benefit from the riches of these lands. History buffs win, too. It is believed that the 2,691 acres contain the 10 acres Harriet Tubman’s father, Ben Ross, received when released from slavery. |
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The water at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge is crowded with waterfowl early in the morning. Credit: USFWS
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Elizabeth Ann, the first cloned black-footed ferret and first-ever cloned U.S. endangered species, at 68-days old. Credit: USFWS National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center
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Innovative Genetic Research Boosts Black-footed Ferret Conservation EffortsFebruary 18, 2021Black-footed ferret recovery efforts aimed at increased genetic diversity and disease resistance took a bold step Dec. 10, 2020, with the birth of Elizabeth Ann, created from the frozen cells of Willa, a black-footed ferret that lived more than 30 years ago. The work results from a partnership among the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and species recovery partners and scientists. Until Elizabeth Ann, all black-footed ferrets were descended from seven individuals, which can create recovery challenges. |
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Elizabeth Ann, the first cloned black-footed ferret and first-ever cloned U.S. endangered species, at 68-days old. Credit: USFWS National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center
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Civilian Conservation Corps members build a bridge at Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas. Credit: Civilian Conservation Corps
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Unsung Heroes of American ConservationFebruary 10, 2021Richard Kanaski, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service archaeologist, is compiling information about African-American Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees throughout the South. His ultimate goal: Shine a spotlight on the major role played by African Americans in the creation of wildlife refuges, and in the rebuilding this country from the depths of the Great Depression. |
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Civilian Conservation Corps members build a bridge at Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas. Credit: Civilian Conservation Corps
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Pelican Island is the first national wildlife refuge, protected in 1903. Credit: George Nelson
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Service Celebrates 150 Years of ConservationFebruary 9, 2021The origins of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began 1871 with the creation of the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries. Since then, the name of our agency has changed multiple times, yet what endures is our dedication to conserve the nature of America.
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Pelican Island is the first national wildlife refuge, protected in 1903. Credit: George Nelson
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A juvenile male rufous hummingbird sipping nectar. Credit: Tom Koerner/USFWS
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Migratory Bird Treaty Act Rule Effective Date Extended, Service Seeks Public InputFebruary 9, 2021The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is extending the effective date and seeking public comment related to a Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) rule that was finalized on January 7, 2021. The Service requests information on issues of fact, law and policy raised by the rule and whether that rule should be amended, rescinded, delayed pending further review by the agency, or allowed to go into effect. Public comments must be received or postmarked on or before March 1, 2021. |
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A juvenile male rufous hummingbird sipping nectar. Credit: Tom Koerner/USFWS
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Wisdom‘s newest chick shortly after hatching, with its Dad, Akeakamai. Credit: Jon Brack/Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
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Albatross Wisdom Becomes a Mom AgainFebruary 5, 2021Wisdom, a mōlī (Laysan albatross) and world’s oldest known, banded wild bird, hatched a new chick this week at Midway Atoll. Biologists first observed the egg pipping on January 29. Pipping is when a young bird begins to crack the shell of the egg when hatching. After several days, the chick hatched on February 1. |
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Wisdom‘s newest chick shortly after hatching, with its Dad, Akeakamai. Credit: Jon Brack/Friends of Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge
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All the construction work on the project was handled by the Service’s heavy equipment professionals, saving taxpayers close to $200,000 for the project. Credit: USFWS
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Racing the TideJanuary 26, 2021A project on the Oregon Coast that aimed to reduce flooding and improve habitat for fish and wildlife included challenging nighttime work that had to be done at the lowest tides. Tackling this job were heavy equipment operators of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or as they are known throughout the agency, the backbone of the Service. They turn habitat conservation dreams into reality. |
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All the construction work on the project was handled by the Service’s heavy equipment professionals, saving taxpayers close to $200,000 for the project. Credit: USFWS
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Alewife is one species of river herring that spawned in the Presumpscot River historically. Credit: Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program
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Rallying ‘Round the PresumpscotJanuary 26, 2021Restoring fish passage is nothing out of the ordinary for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since 2009, we’ve removed more than 750 stream barriers throughout the Northeast alone, opening 7,350 river miles and 44,500 acres of wetland habitat. Thanks to a recent project in Maine, nearly complete, migratory fish have access to five more miles of the Presumpscot River…and the community benefits as well. |
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Alewife is one species of river herring that spawned in the Presumpscot River historically. Credit: Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program
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A male Chinook salmon, with red coloration, strikes another male Chinook on Clear Creek in Redding, California, during spawning season in October. Credit: Brandon Honig/USFWS Credit: Brandon Honig/USFWS
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Restoration Brings Salmon, People Back to Clear CreekJanuary 19, 2021Along with partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been working at California’s Clear Creek for decades. The project has paid off, and the area now attracts “families utilizing the area, swimming with kids, fishing, mountain biking, hiking with dogs.” |
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A male Chinook salmon, with red coloration, strikes another male Chinook on Clear Creek in Redding, California, during spawning season in October. Credit: Brandon Honig/USFWS Credit: Brandon Honig/USFWS
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An arctic fox blends into the snow. Credit: Keith Morehouse/USFWS
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Best in Snow: How Wildlife Weathers WinterJanuary 19, 2021From frogs that freeze solid to meat-eating songbirds, nature has some fascinating winter survival tricks for enduring the cold weather. |
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An arctic fox blends into the snow. Credit: Keith Morehouse/USFWS
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An ornate box turtle. Credit: Grayson Smith/USFWS
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Service Awards $7.4 Million to Help Imperiled SpeciesJanuary 13, 2021Vulnerable wildlife across the nation will benefit from nearly $7.4 million in grants thanks to the Competitive State Wildlife Grant (C-SWG) Program. The program supports projects led by state and commonwealth fish and wildlife agencies protecting imperiled wildlife and their habitats. Supporting these projects can accelerate the recovery of endangered species and potentially prevent others from being listed under the Endangered Species Act. This year’s grantees will implement 17 conservation projects that span 28 states and four commonwealths. |
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An ornate box turtle. Credit: Grayson Smith/USFWS
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An interior least tern incubating eggs. Credit: USFWS
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Trump Administration Celebrates Recovery of America’s Smallest TernJanuary 12, 2021After more than three decades of conservation partnerships inspired by the Endangered Species Act, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is celebrating the delisting of the interior least tern due to recovery. Thanks to the diverse efforts of local, state and federal stakeholders across an 18-state range, the interior least tern’s populations are healthy, stable and increasing. |
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An interior least tern incubating eggs. Credit: USFWS
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