More Higgins eye reintroductions into the Chippewa River
In August, biologists from the Minnesota-Wisconsin Field Office, Regional Office and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources assisted biologists from Genoa National Fish Hatchery in releasing 3,000 Higgins eye pearlymussels in the Chippewa River in Wisconsin -- marking the second year of this exciting effort!
The Higgins eye pearlymussel was listed as endangered in 1976. Since then, the known range has expanded, along with increased monitoring efforts, improvements in sampling and propagation techniques, reintroductions and greater emphasis on research throughout the range. For the past 15 years, the partners have been developing techniques to propagate Higgins eye. Studies focused first on identifying a suitable reproductive host fish, among them largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye and yellow perch. Biologists then began developing, testing and refining techniques to facilitate efficient collection of brooding females, to maximize the likelihood of successful juvenile transformation, and to maintain juveniles in cages as they grew large enough for eventual release. To date, this program has produced more than 5 million juvenile mussels, with releases of subadults throughout six streams in four states. The capability to propagate and reintroduce Higgins eye into habitats that it occupied historically has helped this species along its path toward recovery.
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Higgins eye pearlymussels
Second Minnesota Bat Festival shares wonders, dispels myths
The second Minnesota Bat Festival at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge aimed to celebrate the unique role bats play in our world, further visitors’ appreciation and knowledge of bats and explain why bats need our help right now more than ever.
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Indiana Bat
Northern Long-eared Bat
First-ever conservation bank in the Midwest will help bats
There’s a new tool in the toolbox to help bats in the midwest, thanks to the first-ever conservation bank for imperiled species in the midwest. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved the Chariton Hills Conservation Bank in northern Missouri in July 2018.s
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Indiana Bat
Northern Long-eared Bat
First-ever releases of Poweshiek skipperling!
We’ve reached a milestone in our efforts to prevent the extinction of the Poweshiek skipperling, an endangered prairie butterfly. In June, the Minnesota Zoo successfully released two captive-reared Poweshiek skipperling butterflies at a prairie fen site in Oakland County, Michigan.
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Poweshiek Skipperling
An ear to the sky: new training helps track bats
Have you “heard” the news? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center is offering a new training course called Evaluating Acoustic Bat Surveys for ESA Compliance, which covers the ins and outs of using acoustic bat surveys for regulatory compliance. The inaugural course was held at Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky from May 7 to 11, 2018 and by all accounts was a success!
Learn more by visiting DOI Learn and search for CSP 2111 in the courses.
Indiana Bat
Northern Long-eared Bat
Celebrate Pollinators!
These hard-working animals help pollinate over 75% of our flowering plants, and nearly 75% of our crops. Often we may not notice the hummingbirds, bats, bees, beetles, butterflies, and flies that carry pollen from one plant to another as they collect nectar.
Pollinators Sweeten Summer Foods
Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
Monarch Butterfly
What you can do - Midwest Plant Guide for Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
Kids and Families Learn about Pollinators
Jill Utrup and Kelly Nail, two U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists from the Minnesota-Wisconsin Ecological Services office, reached out to students in the Twin Cities area at Garlough Environmental Magnet School's Environmental Explorers Fair.
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Rusty Patched Bumble Bee
Monarch Butterfly
