U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Based on the best available science, we are proposing to list the monarch butterfly as threatened with species specific protections and flexibilities to encourage conservation under section 4(d) of the Endangered Species Act. We are also proposing to designate critical habitat at the overwintering grounds in California. Through spring 2025, we are gathering public comments and encourage the submission of any new information. Over the rest of the year, we will analyze these comments and issue a final decision. Comments submitted on this social post, do not count toward these public comments. Public comments must be submitted officially via the link below. Photo of monarch on blooming swamp milkweed by Jim Hudgins/USFWS

The data is in, and Americans are looking up! ⬆️🐦 According to the Birding in the United States: A Demographic and Economic Analysis, an addendum to the 2022 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, 96 million people in the U.S. engage in birding! If birders in the U.S. formed their own country, their numbers would surpass the populations of most nations worldwide. The most recent data shows that 96 million people (or 3 out of 10 Americans) engaged in birding, making up 37% of the population aged 16 and older. In 2022, birders spent $107.6 billion on their activities— split between $14 billion spent on trip-related costs (such as food, lodging, and transportation) and $93 billion on equipment like birdhouses, binoculars, cameras, and even land purchases. These expenditures also contributed to county tax revenue ($7 billion), state tax revenue ($9 billion), and federal tax revenue ($22 billion). All this birding activity helped support 1.4 million jobs and generated $90.2 billion in labor income. More on this report: https://ow.ly/bayA50Ur8wu Photo of young children birding at San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge by Lisa Cox/USFWS

What if we kissed in the snowy meadow on winter solstice? Photo of two moose by Brian Clopp (sharetheexperience)

California hatcheries lend a helping hand to Battle Creek fall run Chinook salmon. Low returns of fall Chinook salmon to Coleman National Fish Hatchery in California led to reduced egg collection. Thanks to the collaboration with California Department of Wildlife, eggs from state hatcheries were transferred to Coleman to support recovery efforts. This partnership highlights the power of joint efforts to ensure the future of California’s salmon populations and boost fishing opportunities for years to come. The story: https://ow.ly/KZ9s50Uvmpg Photos: Eggs collected, for Coleman, at Nimbus Hatchery, Feather River Hatchery and Mokelumne River Hatchery were placed in damp cheesecloth after fertilization and then into coolers for transport. Once the eggs arrived at the hatchery, the eggs were poured out of the cheesecloth and into incubation trays where they remain until they hatch. A juvenile Chinook salmon is also featured. All photos by Laura Mahoney/USFWS.

“Grandma, why don’t we take more bark from that tree instead of finding another one?” “We only take what we can so that the tree can heal from it,” replied the master basket weaver. In this first-person essay, Christopher Lage, a member of the Puyallup Tribe in Washington, talks about his origin story with conservation, and how fishing became “not only a hobby, but a way of life.” “Growing up learning to respect and take care of the land and resources is what has led me toward conservation,” said Lage, a WaterCorps intern with the USFWS. Read the full story about some of the amazing work Lage completed this year via the Tribal WaterCorps program, which is sponsored by the Bureau of Indian Affairs: https://lnkd.in/evrceWV2 USFWS photos

"Think like a duck" is the mantra for the Wetland Habitat Assessment Protocol (WHAP) survey. Every year, billions of waterbirds travel the Pacific Flyway, and we work to ensure they have enough food to get them through their journey using the WHAP survey! American Conservation Experience (ACE) interns joined forces with us at Kern National Wildlife Refuge Complex in California to collect data to see how much seed was available. This survey helps us carefully plan out the best ways to meet the needs of waterfowl and other wildlife who rely on the refuge. "I loved getting up close with the wetlands at Pixley National Wildlife Refuge during the WHAP survey! It really helped me to think like a duck and see the world through their eyes. Each vantage point was an opportunity to ask: 'Why is this area different from that one? What makes these plants thrive here?' Every sample told a new story about our changing wetlands." - Adam Nawrocki, ACE intern #TBT Original photos by Katie Jimenez/USFWS, graphics by Rebecca Fabbri/USFWS

Across Alaska's National Wildlife Refuges, thousands of tuttu (Iñupiaq word for caribou) survive the Arctic winter thanks to two layers of insulating fur and their hooves like built-in snow shovels for digging for bites of lichen beneath the snow. The heart of this story lies in the wisdom passed down through generations of Iñupiaq people. Elder Cyrus Harris from the village of Sisualik, remembers his first tuttu harvest at age 10, traveling toward the foothills where his ancestors had gathered migrating caribou for thousands of autumns before. During his first hunts, vast amounts of knowledge were passed onto Harris, including one important lesson in patience: Permit the leading caribou safe passage, he was told, so that the hundreds or thousands more who follow behind, trusting the leaders, can continue their migration. 🦌🦌🦌 This act of reciprocity remains important for humans and animal alike. It helps to keep caribou herd populations stable, while allowing the village continued access to the food they need. It is also one lesson of many that the Native Village of Kotzebue and Kiana Elders' Council have shared with hunters over recent years, with the help of Harris, Selawik National Wildlife Refuge employees, and other USFWS employees and partners. Read more about why local knowledge and partnerships are so important for the survival of caribou, especially as the weather changes in northwest Alaska. 🔗Link in the comments. 📷 Lisa Hupp/USFWS

Once again, we are announcing our officially unofficial best holiday season bird. This year's pick could be controversial to some and spot on for others. Without further ado, we officially unofficially announce the chickadees as the best holiday season bird for 2024. Which one, you ask? ALL OF THEM: Black-capped, Carolina, boreal, mountain, all of them. We won't be taking any questions at this time, and we stand by this unofficial decision. Thank you. Photo of a Carolina chickadee by N. Lewis/NPS

You've heard of Elf on a Shelf, now get ready for... Graphic by Karen Sinclair/USFWS

A milestone for Maryland! We're excited to announce the establishment of Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge, the 573rd and newest unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The new refuge will allow for the voluntary conservation of up to 40,000 acres of interior forest, grassland, wetland and coastal habitat across five counties. Protected lands will conserve waterfowl and other migratory bird habitat, aid in the recovery of threatened and endangered species, and provide outdoor recreational opportunities for the 10 million people who live and work in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan region. We're grateful to our incredible network of partners who were essential in making today a reality, including the Chesapeake Conservancy, American Chestnut Land Trust, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Maryland Environmental Trust, Charles County, the Nature Conservancy, and many more. https://ow.ly/rKaO50Us3Ym