Stories from the Home Page
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A ranger leads a tour at San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Rinus Baak
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Enjoy Your Visit!May 15, 2019You’re in for a treat. No matter what leads you to visit a national wildlife refuge — curiosity, a bird festival or just a wish to unplug from the stresses of daily life — you are bound to enjoy the experience. To make sure you find what you’re looking for, and more, we’ve updated our “Visit” pages, highlighting lots of ideas under “Things to Do” and “Things to See.” |
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A ranger leads a tour at San Diego National Wildlife Refuge. Credit: Rinus Baak
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Gray wolf Credit: Gary Kramer/USFWS
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Service Extends Comment Period on Proposed Delisting of Gray WolvesMay 13, 2019The Service is extending by 60 days the public comment period on a proposed rule to remove the gray wolf from the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act. We are extending the comment period to allow all interested parties additional time to comment on the proposal. |
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Gray wolf Credit: Gary Kramer/USFWS
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A view of the Tidmarsh Restoration Project, which, with help from a coastal grant, will create habitat for fish and waterfowl, as well as opportunities for outdoor recreation and education for the community. Credit: USFWS
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Interior Secretary Awards States More than $20 Million in Grants Supporting Coastal Wetlands Conservation, Recreation and CommunitiesMay 8, 2019In recognition of the critical role wetlands play in conservation, our economy and our daily lives, the U.S. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt is awarding more than $20 million to 22 projects in 11 coastal states to protect, restore or enhance more than 7,000 acres of coastal wetlands and adjacent upland habitats. The grants are being made under the Service’s National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. State and local governments, private landowners, conservation groups and other partners will contribute more than $26.7 million in additional funds to these projects. |
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A view of the Tidmarsh Restoration Project, which, with help from a coastal grant, will create habitat for fish and waterfowl, as well as opportunities for outdoor recreation and education for the community. Credit: USFWS
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Pinky The Flamingo has been one of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge’s most popular residents since late October. Credit: Karen Willes/Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge
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Rare Wild Pink Flamingo Draws Crowds to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in FloridaMay 6, 2019Hurricane Michael careened through the Gulf of Mexico last fall sucking up all manner of flotsam and jetsam before scattering the unwelcome mess across the Panhandle of Florida. It’s likely the hurricane also picked up a wild flamingo and deposited it at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Pinky the Flamingo “continues to recruit new wildlife watchers from all over the country,” says Robin Will, the refuge’s supervisory ranger. |
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Pinky The Flamingo has been one of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge’s most popular residents since late October. Credit: Karen Willes/Friends of St. Marks Wildlife Refuge
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Riders in the Wild Goose Chase cycle in and around Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. Credit: J. Kerr
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Biking on Wildlife RefugesMay 2, 2019For a stress-free bike ride and the chance to see wildlife such as elk, bald eagles or sandhill cranes, pick a trail in a national wildlife refuge. Many refuges permit bicycling when it’s consistent with their conservation objectives. |
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Riders in the Wild Goose Chase cycle in and around Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. Credit: J. Kerr
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Barrel cactus was just one species unlawfully collected. Credit: NPS
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Investigation into Cactus Trafficking Leads to 2-Year SentenceMay 2, 2019An Arizona man was sentenced to two years behind bars after an investigation led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He stole, and had others steal, more than 500 federally protected cactus plants from Lake Mead National Recreation Area in Arizona. He then sold them. He also pleaded guilty to drug and other charges. |
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Barrel cactus was just one species unlawfully collected. Credit: NPS
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A longleaf pine stand in the Coastal Headwaters Forest in Alabama. Credit: USDA
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Longleaf Pine Restoration Takes Major Step ForwardApril 25, 2019The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joined dozens of public, private and nonprofit officials this week to celebrate the wonders of the permanent setting-aside of 3,719 acres of forested land. It’s likely the first of many such easements intended to restore majestic longleaf pine stands across a large swath of private property. The goal is the transformation of 200,000 acres of Florida and Alabama scrub and loblolly pine into long-living, species-sustaining, revenue-generating longleaf pine forest. |
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A longleaf pine stand in the Coastal Headwaters Forest in Alabama. Credit: USDA
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American robin gets the worm at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Maine. Credit: Keith Ramos
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Why I Took These ShotsApril 17, 2019National wildlife refuges are wonderful places for nature photography – for visitors and employees. Manager Keith Ramos makes a point of taking photos that celebrate the animals, forest and wetlands of Maine at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “I watched 30 to 40 American robins eating worms near the refuge entrance on and off for three or four days before I could get this photo right,” he says of the image above. “It was a tug of war between the bird and the worm.” |
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American robin gets the worm at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Maine. Credit: Keith Ramos
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The winning 2019 Junior Duck Stamp art, an acrylic painting of a harlequin duck by Nicole Jeon. Credit: USFWS
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New York Youth Wins 2019 National Junior Duck Stamp Art ContestApril 16, 2019Nicole Jeon, a 16-year-old from Scarsdale, New York, took top honors at the Service’s National Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest with her acrylic rendition of a harlequin duck. Her artwork will grace the 2019-2020 Junior Duck Stamp, which will go on sale June 28 and supports conservation education for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. |
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The winning 2019 Junior Duck Stamp art, an acrylic painting of a harlequin duck by Nicole Jeon. Credit: USFWS
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A monarch on a false sunflower. Credit: Jim Hudgins/USFWS
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Service Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Conservation Agreement for Monarch ButterflyApril 12, 2019The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing the opening of a 60-day public comment period regarding an “enhancement of survival” permit application associated with a proposed conservation agreement for the monarch butterfly on energy and transportation lands. The proposed agreement would involve transportation and energy partners across the lower 48 states and would address conservation needs of the species on millions of acres of rights-of-way and associated lands. |
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A monarch on a false sunflower. Credit: Jim Hudgins/USFWS
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A volunteer and his dog, a newly minted B.A.R.K. Ranger, are ready to take to the trails of John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. Credit: USFWS
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Thank You, Volunteers! ‘Working Together We Accomplish Many Things’April 10, 2019We are celebrating National Volunteer Week and our volunteers – nearly 42,000 – who give more than 1.5 million hours to help conserve the nature of America. “Volunteers are integral to Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge,” says Sarah Inouye-Leas, volunteer coordinator there. |
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A volunteer and his dog, a newly minted B.A.R.K. Ranger, are ready to take to the trails of John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. Credit: USFWS
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USFWS special agents operated an undercover wholesale fish business in Michigan. They were so convincing that when the investigation had completed, local fishermen could not believe they were actual federal agents. Credit: USFWS
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Lake Trout Trafficking Costs Michigan Fish Dealer $1.03 Million in RestitutionApril 8, 2019John H. Cross III will serve 12 months in prison – intermittently during a five-year term of probation – and he and his company, John Cross Fisheries Inc., will pay $1.03 million in restitution for trafficking fish taken from the Great Lakes. Over two years, Cross Fisheries illegally bought and sold approximately 48,500 pounds of lake trout.
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USFWS special agents operated an undercover wholesale fish business in Michigan. They were so convincing that when the investigation had completed, local fishermen could not believe they were actual federal agents. Credit: USFWS
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Thumbnail image of the Tracking Paddlefish YouTube video. Credit: USFWS
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Progress for PaddlefishApril 8, 2019Paddlefish are arguably the oddest looking creatures swimming the waters of the Mississippi River Basin. They are certainly among the oldest. Swimming dinosaurs. This video tells how the Texas Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery work in concert with the Texas Parks and Wildlife to restore, and learn more about, paddlefish. |
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Thumbnail image of the Tracking Paddlefish YouTube video. Credit: USFWS
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The BIG program benefits boaters and local communities. Credit: USFWS
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$20+ Million in Grants Will Support Recreational Boating Infrastructure ProjectsApril 5, 2019The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) program continues its substantial contributions to recreational boaters and local communities and their economies through this year’s award of $20.6 million in grants to states and U.S. territories. By providing funding to support dedicated boat tie-up facilities and associated amenities, the BIG program helps Americans enjoy the nation’s waters and our cherished wildlife, natural and cultural resources. |
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The BIG program benefits boaters and local communities. Credit: USFWS
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Poacher's mounted bobcat and mountain lion (right). Credit: USFWS
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Wisconsin Poaching Scheme ExposedApril 2, 2019Four longtime hound hunters who enjoyed decades of running their dogs after bear, mountain lion, bobcat and other wildlife are now branded as poachers and have lost their hunting privileges worldwide, some for up to four years. |
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Poacher's mounted bobcat and mountain lion (right). Credit: USFWS
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