Wildlife

The Largest Wildlife Bridge in the U.S. Opens in San Antonio

Both people and animals will have a safe crossing over a six-lane highway in the Texas city.

  • By Emma Coleman

Will Colorado Bring Back Wolves? It’s Up to Voters

COMMENTARY | By the 1940s, shooting, trapping and poisoning had eradicated gray wolves from the state. Wildlife biologists will likely need to reintroduce them if Colorado voters decide to move ahead.

  • By Rebecca Niemiec and Kevin Crooks, The Conversation

Roadkill Dropped During Coronavirus Shutdowns, Study Found

The study, which found a 58% decrease in mountain lions killed by cars, examined crash reports involving large animals and traffic patterns in three states.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Poop, Screams and Divebombing Birds: How One City Plans to Deal With a Peacock Problem

The Miami City Commission will begin humanely trapping and relocating peacocks from one neighborhood after years of complaints from residents.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

It’s Time to Bring Wildlife Policy Into the 21st Century

COMMENTARY | On issues like deer population control, state agencies are prioritizing hunters over public health and the environment.

  • By Elyse DeFranco, Undark

An Invasive Species Hunt: Inside the 'Python Bowl'

The 10-day competition sent 750 snake hunters into the Florida Everglades, with the goal of removing as many Burmese pythons as possible.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Behind on Child Support? In Some States that Means No Fishing or Hunting

A proposal in Utah would prevent certain people from obtaining hunting or fishing permits if they're behind on child support. Similar policies have been adopted by other states.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Investigating Illegal Elk Poaching

Five elk were poached from mid-November to mid-December in Michigan, the most ever illegally killed in one month.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Monitoring Deer Health Means a Helicopter Ride for a Utah Herd

About 50 mule deer in Utah were flown recently to a state-owned ranch to allow wildlife biologists to examine and tag them. Officials said the tests give them important insights into the health of the herd as a whole.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Using Social Media to Monitor Endangered Species Uncovers Surprising Information

Federal researchers used Instagram to collect information on human interactions with endangered monk seals and found that the posts contained data that was missing from traditional reports.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

States Try Recruiting New Hunters

Hunting and fishing revenue provides nearly 60% of state wildlife agency budgets.

  • By Alex Brown, Stateline

There Are No Zombie Deer in Nevada. State Officials Want to Keep It That Way

Wildlife officials in Nevada are committed to preventing chronic wasting disease from infecting state populations of deer.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

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On the Hunt for Lean Protein, Food Pantries Turn to Hunters

Across the country, hunters donate thousands of pounds of game meat to help stock food pantries in their communities.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Keeping Tabs on Armadillos

State officials are monitoring populations of the nine-banded armadillo, a non-native species that's spreading quickly throughout the country.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Take Down That Dam: River Ecosystems Bounce Back As Removals Soar

In rivers big and small, migratory fish surge back to life as old energy structures are taken down.

  • By Gregor Macdonald

Controlling Mosquito Populations by Releasing Mosquitoes

Los Angeles County officials are hoping to replicate a successful pilot program that mated sterile male mosquitoes with biting females, leading to a reduction in the overall population.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

When a Cougar Comes to Town

There have been reports of a big cat lurking in Washington’s capital city. A state agency is looking into the sightings.

  • By Bill Lucia

This State Official Would Like You to Mail Her Your Ticks

Patti Casey, an environmental surveillance program manager for the state of Vermont, oversees three tick-monitoring programs, including one where she collects ticks by mail from residents.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Some Fish Are Still Full of Mercury, for a Worrying Reason

Emissions of mercury have declined, but levels in fish could still increase thanks to overfishing and a changing climate.

  • By Ed Young, The Atlantic

Black Bears Adapt to Life Near Humans By Burning the Midnight Oil

COMMENTARY | Some animal populations are growing. An estimated 1 million black bears now roam from Mexico to Canada and Alaska.

  • By Kathy Zeller, The Conversation

Invasive Grass Increases Wildfire Threat in Western States

Land managers are grappling with cheatgrass, a weed that has invaded millions of acres.

  • By Sophie Quinton