Channel Title: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Channel Description: This is the official channel of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a bureau of the federal government within the Department of the Interior. Whether it's a formal response to a Federal Register notice or a comment on Facebook,the USFWS is committed to making sure that all online conversations are civil. In all our forums, we monitor comments either before they are published or shortly thereafter. We never discriminate against any views, but we reserve the right to delete any of the following: violent, obscene, profane, hateful, or racist comments; comments that threaten or defame any person or organization; solicitations, advertisements, or endorsements of any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency; comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity; multiple successive off-topic posts by a single user; repetitive posts copied and pasted by multiple users; personal information such as email addresses, telephone numbers, or mailing addresses. <video> An Aquatic Science Journey: AmeriCorps Member Gains Experience with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Description: AmeriCorps member Ethan Chaipatanapong shares his experience working with the Western Washington Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office as a fisheries biological support service member. One of multiple career development programs at this facility, his six-month placement was made possible through a partnership with the American Conservation Experience: Emerging Professionals In Conservation program. For Audio-Described Video: https://youtu.be/qcSwWkYpyus?feature=shared To learn more about the Western Washington Fish & Wildlife Conservation Office: https://www.fws.gov/office/western-washington-fish-and-wildlife-conservation Credits: Featuring: Ethan Chaipatanapong Videographer, Editor, and Producer: Megan Frey Co-Producer and Music: Dan Spencer </video> <video> Swim Free - Fish Passage Glow Up Description: Skies are blue, trees are green, restoration looks really good on this stream! In 20 seconds, you'll see the incredible results of restoration in action at Nulhegan Division of Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, as a road culvert gets upgraded to a sustainable bridge, promoting safe infrastructure for people and healthier habitats for brook trout, wood turtles, freshwater mussels, and more. A big thanks to our partners, the Connecticut River Conservancy, and their work on this beautiful bridge construction. Video description: funky, upbeat music plays as a timelapse video of a road with a large culvert under it is gradually torn down by workers and machines, and is replaced by a sturdy bridge with a stream flowing underneath </video> <video> Chum Salmon Swimming Free Description: Sorry, can't talk right now. I'm watching a live-stream. Salmon require free and open waterways when migrating up stream to their breeding grounds. However, a little shallow water is nothing to prevent these three adult chum salmon from splashing their way up McLane Creek near Olympia, WA! Video of salmon swimming up a stream by Dan Spencer/USFWS </video> <video> Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge feral hog project Description: Audio Described Version: https://youtu.be/zZQxv9r6mw8 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 570 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service partnered with the University of Georgia on a bold project to completely eradicate feral hogs from the Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge. This multi-year project's goal is to remove all hogs from the Island while also learning about their biology, their impacts on the local environment and wildlife, and the tactics and strategies that work (and some that don't) for removing hogs from the landscape. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and there partners hope that what is learned throughout this project can be used to inform hog control efforts in other areas across their range. </video> <video> Reconnecting Waterways at Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge Description: Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge is working on construction of a large stream and wetland restoration project in the 200-acre Cackler Marsh unit to address lack of fish passage and increase habitat values for a myriad aquatic species. The project will restore 1.5 miles of the Baskett Slough stream channel, fill in 1 mile of channelized ditch, and build two set-back berms to create off-channel wetlands. This work is Phase II of III. Baskett Slough has high quality wetlands, but those wetlands posed passage barriers. The vision is to restore the area to historic conditions that maximize ecosystem process and function restoring a stream channel that is highly connected to its floodplain. This focus is intended to maximize benefits for all aquatic species including fish, amphibians, and beavers, in addition to migratory birds. This effort is not only being conducted by refuge staff but by MAT Teams (Maintenance Action Teams). With funding from the Great American Outdoors Act, National Park Service and Public Land Legacy Restoration perform critical deferred maintenance and repair work on public lands managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) The MAT teams are usually made up of wage-grade professionals from many field stations across one or more regions. These professionals are trained in many trades, including heavy equipment operation, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, masonry, and historic preservation. MATs are based throughout the country and are mobilized to help with projects in their regional territory. MATs serve as a valuable training and career advancement platform in addition to be an efficient and cost-effective way to complete needed projects. This work could not have been done without out the help from our partners: Ducks Unlimited, Inc. Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Chinook Engineering Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Polk Soil and Water Conservation District Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District For more information about Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge click here: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/baskett-slough Audio Described version here: https://youtu.be/tPSHA_wZoQQ?feature=shared </video> <video> U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service - Monarch Announcement Description: https://www.fws.gov U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams discusses the plight of the monarch butterfly. As she speaks, see monarch butterflies at various stages of the life cycle, milkweed and other flowering plants, and people who are working to save the monarch butterfly. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> La Oficina para Peces y Vida Silvestre Ventura Resumen del Año 2024 Description: ¡Celebremos algunos de los éxitos de conservación e historias que formaron nuestro año 2024! ¡Estamos emocionados para ver lo que 2025 trae a la Oficina para Peces y Vida Silvestre Ventura! Versión audio descrita: https://youtu.be/VfQJ0Zv5TBA https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> Catching Gar at St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge System with the Gar Lab! Description: Come catch some big fish with us! U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Kayla Kimmel and the Gar Lab went out to St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Natchez Mississippi to study a healthy population of alligator gar. Since this is a healthy population in a protected area, the teams study them here to understand what's keeping them healthy. They can then apply those lessons to other areas where alligator gar are not doing as well or where the habitat needs improvement. Once the fish are caught in the net, they are quickly hauled them into the boat and taken them to shore. Since gar can breathe air, they can be safely handled out of water while the team collects the data and the whole process is complete in under 10-15 minutes. Biologists weigh the fish and take their measurements. A fin clip is taken for analysis that will tell us where the fish is in the food chain, where their food is coming from, and their genetic lineage. The fish are tagged and sent on their way. Video clips courtesy of Solomon David. Video by Holly Richards/USFWS https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> Not Their First Rodeo Description: Bird migration has always been a source of fascination and mystery. By marking birds in one location and recovering them in another, the secrets of migration can be revealed. But first, you must catch the birds. Meet a team of Alaskan biologists on an annual goose roundup to discover how teamwork and a unique use of float-equipped aircraft can get the job done. Video by Benjamin Fischer/USFWS Music by Aaron Daane for USFWS Audio-described video: https://youtu.be/Me7rBZNQ-vE - https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> Natures Infrastructure S1E9 Restoring Henderson Marsh: Enhancing Fish Passage & Community Resilience Description: https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> January 23 at 2pm - Conservation Lectures: “Cradle of Conservation” with Dr. Allen Dieterich-Ward Description: The “NCTC Conservation Lecture Series” is our monthly public program from the Byrd Auditorium at the National Conservation Training Center. Today's presentation: This program was recorded in the Byrd Auditorium at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV, on Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 7:00 pm. Dr. Allen Dieterich-Ward will present on his new book Cradle of Conservation: An Environmental History of Pennsylvania. In this sweeping yet succinct account, Allen Dieterich-Ward brings to life Pennsylvania’s environmental history—from the birth of the conservation movement in the nineteenth century to the impacts of changes are currently experiencing. This groundbreaking book is a crucial resource for anyone seeking to understand the people, places, and policies that have shaped—and continue to shape—life in the Keystone State and beyond. Allen Dieterich-Ward is Professor of History and Director of The Graduate School at Shippensburg University. He is the author of Beyond Rust: Metropolitan Pittsburgh and the Fate of Industrial America, which won the Arline Custer Memorial Award for Best Book in Mid-Atlantic History. All programs start at 2:00 PM ET. Please note this event may continue a little longer than 3:00 PM ET. Closed Captions for Program: When the program goes live, click the toggle switch on the lower right to enable automatic captions for your stream. These talks are a part of the NCTC Conservation Lecture Series, which is cosponsored by The Friends of the NCTC - http://www.friendsofnctc.org and by the Potomac Valley Audubon Society - https://www.potomacaudubon.org Previous sessions have been recorded and are available for viewing: https://www.fws.gov/broadcasts. https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> Indigenous Connections: NYCALC – Engaging Indigenous Leaders Description: Want to learn how to engage the next generation of Indigenous leaders in the conservation world? Join us as we learn about the Native Youth Community Adaptation Leadership Congress, or NYCALC; how this national program operates and impacts Indigenous youth from Saipan to Main and everywhere in between. About Our Presenter, Jennifer Hill: Growing up in the eastern sands of North Carolina, always spending time outdoors with her grandparents and great grandparents, Jenn Hill learned at an early age she wanted to work and live with wildlife. Jenn started her career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 2003 as an environmental education and interpretation intern at Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, MD. She worked her way into the Service through internships and seasonal work. She worked at Patuxent for 16 years until 2019 when she transferred to NCTC to lead the Native Youth Community Adaptation Leadership Congress. Throughout college at Virginia Tech (VA), Bloemfontein (S. Afr.), and Stellenbosch Universities (S. Afr.), she "vowed" never to work for the federal government. She spent so much time studying abroad that Virginia Tech was hesitant to give her a degree under their name, having to go to the board of council for approval. After going back and forth from landscaping in the U.S. to humanitarian work abroad for several years, it was time to get a "real" job - said her parents! So, upon returning home in desperate need of "real" employment, she reluctantly tried an internship with the USFWS. However, once she started at Patuxent, she quickly fell in love with the people and the mission of the USFWS. Today, Jenn is married with two awesome cubs (or kids) and a small farm of rescued critters. They keep her extra busy but also serve as her purpose - her sanctuary. https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> Year in Review 2024 - Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office Description: We're excited to share our Year in Review video, highlighting the amazing strides we've made in conservation this year. We're so grateful to you, our community, and our partners for helping us work to bring back species from the brink of extinction. Audio Described Version: https://youtu.be/aMeMkeXWiMc https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> Catastrophic loss of common murres in Alaska: data visualization Description: Common murres help us understand the health of Alaska's marine ecosystems – and sound a warning when there is trouble below the waves. Murres are especially sensitive to changes in their food supply because they must eat a significant portion of their body weight each day to survive and respond quickly to changes in food availability. These seabirds dive up to 200 meters deep to catch small schooling fish like capelin and sand lance. When schooling fish become scarce or scattered, common murres struggle to meet their high energy demands, making them good indicators of broader changes in ocean conditions. Working with partners, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, has recently published a comprehensive study of the Alaska death toll in common murres that resulted from a significant marine heatwave in 2014-16. Through an analysis of long-term monitoring data covering two large Alaska ecosystems, we found that the mass mortality event was several times greater than initially estimated. About half of Alaska’s common murre population – around four million birds – perished, the largest single-species wildlife die-off ever documented in modern history. This is the first study to show that the impacts of rising temperatures, due to climate change , can be swift, intense, and long-lasting, with no recovery in sight and potentially permanent ecosystem changes. An Audio Described version is here: https://youtu.be/iK-qdsnStak Read more Feature web story: Four million murres missing https://www.fws.gov/story/2024-12/four-million-murres-missing Project page: Alaska’s common murre die-off https://www.fws.gov/project/monitoring-common-murre-mass-mortality-coastal-alaska Murre footage courtesy of Ian Shive/Tandem Music: "Blissful Ignorance" by Dexter Britain used under a CC license Video: Lisa Hupp/USFWS https://www.fws.gov The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the oldest federal conservation agency, tracing its lineage back to 1871, and the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is management of fish and wildlife for the American public. The Service helps ensure a healthy environment for people by providing opportunities for Americans to enjoy the outdoors and our shared natural heritage. We manage the National Wildlife Refuge System with more than 560 National Wildlife Refuges as well as small wetlands and other special management areas encompassing more than 150 million acres. Under the Fisheries program we also operate over 70 National Fish Hatcheries and 65 fishery resource offices. The Ecological Services program has 86 field stations across all 50 states. The vast majority of fish and wildlife habitat is on non-federal lands. Voluntary habitat protection and restoration programs like the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program and the Coastal Program and other partnership programs are the primary ways we deliver habitat conservation on public and private lands. The Service employs approximately 9,000 people at facilities across the U.S. The Service is a decentralized organization with a headquarters office in Washington, D.C., with regional and field offices across the country. Our organizational chart shows structure and also provides information on senior management. </video> <video> Wisdom returns, lays egg at age 74! Description: Wisdom, the legendary Laysan albatross or mōlī, returned again to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, this time nesting with a new mate and laying yet another egg. USFWS volunteer video: Dan Rapp This first video scene shows Wisdom, at left with her well-known band number of 'Z333,' interacting with her partner in a grassy meadow of albatrosses on Nov. 26, 2024. The scene transitions to the next day with the same pair at their ground nest site, this time with an egg present. Wisdom stands attentively nearby as her partner incubates the egg. Like other Laysan albatross, or mōlī in Hawaiian, Wisdom returns to the same nesting site each year to reunite with her mate and if able, lay one egg. For decades she did this with the same partner, Akeakamai, but that bird has not been seen for several years, causing Wisdom to begin courtship dances with other males. Jonathan Plissner, supervisory wildlife biologist at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, called Wisdom’s first egg in four years “a special joy” and said recent activity seems to indicate she still has the energy and instincts for raising another chick. “We are optimistic that the egg will hatch,” wrote Plissner from the remote refuge, noting that her new mate seems to be quite content on the nest during his long incubation shift. It is estimated that Wisdom has produced 50-60 eggs and as many as 30 chicks that fledged in her lifetime, according to Plissner. Biologists first identified and banded Wisdom in 1956 after she laid an egg, and the large seabirds aren’t known to breed before age 5. Each year, millions of seabirds return to Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge on the northwestern edge of the Hawaiian Archipelago to nest and raise their young. Wisdom, specifically, has been doing this since the Eisenhower administration. More about the refuge: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/midway-atoll </video>

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This is the official channel of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a bureau of the federal government within the Department of the Interior.

Whether it's a formal response to a Federal Register notice or a comment on Facebook,the USFWS is committed to making sure that all online conversations are civil. In all our forums, we monitor comments either before they are published or shortly thereafter.
We never discriminate against any views, but we reserve the right to delete any of the following: violent, obscene, profane, hateful, or racist comments; comments that threaten or defame any person or organization; solicitations, advertisements, or endorsements of any financial, commercial or non-governmental agency; comments that suggest or encourage illegal activity; multiple successive off-topic posts by a single user; repetitive posts copied and pasted by multiple users; personal information such as email addresses, telephone numbers, or mailing addresses.

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