News
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Sunrise at Nathanial P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Diana Gu, USFWS.
Service renames Florida refuge to honor conservationist Nathaniel Reed
April 17, 2019 | 3 minute read
Hobe Sound, Florida — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) honored today the late Nathaniel Pryor Reed with a ceremony highlighting the renaming of a wildlife refuge in his name. The Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge is now the Nathaniel P. Reed Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. “From Jupiter Island to the Everglades, and Tallahassee to Washington, Nathaniel Reed was a consummate conservationist and steadfast defender of the natural world,” said Leo Miranda, the Service’s director for the Southeast. Read the full story... -
Biologist Albert Spells with Atlantic sturgeon. Photo by USFWS.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts five-year status review of Atlantic sturgeon (Gulf subspecies)
April 11, 2019 | 2 minute read
As part of the process mandated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries will jointly conduct a five-year status review of the Atlantic sturgeon (Gulf subspecies). This fish, federally listed as threatened, is found along the coasts and in the rivers of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The public is invited to provide information and comments concerning the Atlantic sturgeon on or before June 10, 2019. Read the full story... -
Everglades snail kite at Lake Kissimmee, Florida. Photo by South Florida Wetland Management District.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducts five-year status reviews of 36 Southeastern species
April 11, 2019 | 6 minute read
As part of the process mandated by the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will conduct five-year status reviews of 36 endangered or threatened fish, wildlife, and plants. They are found in the Southeastern United States and Puerto Rico. The public is invited to provide information and comments concerning these species on or before June 10, 2019. These five-year reviews will ensure listing classifications under the ESA are accurate, and recommend changes in status where appropriate based on the latest science and analysis. Read the full story... -
Florida grasshopper sparrow and chicks. Photo by rarespecies.org.
Foundation awards $35,000 for Florida grasshopper sparrow survival
April 10, 2019 | 2 minute read
Tallahassee, Florida — The nonprofit Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida (FWFF) has announced a $35,000 gift to White Oak Conservation to help ensure the Florida grasshopper sparrow’s survival. This grant follows a similar $10,000 gift made in February. The Florida grasshopper sparrow is North America’s most endangered bird. Fewer than 50 breeding pairs are left in the wild. To save this imperiled ground-nesting bird, federal and state agencies and an array of private conservation groups are using a multi-pronged strategy that includes protecting nests from predators and flooding, improving habitat via prescribed burns, and conducting research. Read the full story... -
Ballast Key. Photo by The Nature Conservancy.
David Wolkowsky’s Ballast Key to be protected and managed by The Nature Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge
April 9, 2019 | 5 minute read
Miami, Florida — David Wolkowsky’s Ballast Key, a 14-acre island located in the clear blue and vibrant waters eight miles west of Key West, has been generously donated and will be forever protected through the commitment of The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as part of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge (Key West NWR). For more than two decades, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the U. Read the full story... -
“A March on the Water,” acrylic rendition by 12-year-old Win Sheng First Fine Art & Design Studio, Johns Creek, Georgia.
2019 Georgia Junior Duck Stamp student art competition winners
April 8, 2019 | 3 minute read
“A March on the Water,” an acrylic painting of a green winged teal by Win Sheng, aged 12, from First Fine Art and Design Studio in Johns Creek, won the 2019 Georgia Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition. The contest was held last week at the Southeast Regional U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office in Atlanta. “I painted the green winged teal because of all the colors and its personality,” said Win Sheng. Read the full story... -
Ashy darter. Photo by Conservation Fisheries, Inc.
Thanks to conservation partnerships, two southeastern fish and a snail do not warrant Endangered Species Act protection
April 3, 2019 | 4 minute read
Following extensive scientific reviews, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined that three southeastern animals do not face the threat of extinction now or in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the ashy darter, Barrens darter and Arkansas mudalia snail do not warrant Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection. For each animal, the Service brought together a team of biologists who compiled and examined all known data and research. Their peer-reviewed findings are outlined in species status assessments (SSAs), made available today. Read the full story...