The Ohio Ecological Services Field Office focuses on conserving endangered, threatened and rare species, migratory birds, inter-jurisdictional fish and their habitats in Ohio and ensuring compliance with federal wildlife laws such as the Endangered Species Act. Our strategy for conservation relies on engaging with partners, focusing on implementing conservation on the ground and reaching out to foster an appreciation of fish and wildlife and habitat among all Ohioans.
Latest News
Endangered Species Act
It takes a team to recover a species. Across portions of northern Indiana, southern Michigan and northwestern Ohio, shallow wetlands and connected forests have historically supported populations of copperbelly water snakes. Today, habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation have restricted the...
Endangered Species Act
We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are excited to announce our 2025 Recovery Champions from the Midwest Region. Our 2025 Fish and Wildlife Service National Recovery Champion is the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services - Michigan team and our Regional Recovery Champions are...
The next time you relish the clear, clean water of a rippling stream, you can thank a mussel. We at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognize the special role our freshwater-filtering friends have in keeping the environment healthy for all variety of species – including us humans. That’s why it’...
Endangered Species Act
Today, we announced a proposal to list the eastern hellbender as an endangered species throughout its range under the Endangered Species Act. Eastern hellbenders are found in Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania...
Endangered Species Act
We're proposing to designate critical habitat for four species of endangered freshwater mussels. Habitat for the rayed bean, sheepnose, snuffbox and spectaclecase mussels can be found in 17 states in the central and eastern United States. We're proposing to designate a total of 3,974 river miles of...
Endangered Species Act
Questions answered regarding the decision to withdraw the proposed listing of the pyramid pigtoe mussel based on new genetic research.
Our Organization
Our Species
Much of our work focuses on conserving the federally listed Indiana and northern long-eared bats, which occur throughout forested habitat in Ohio. Additionally, we strive to recover the many listed freshwater mussels that occur in Ohio’s streams. We also work with partners to monitor and manage listed plants.