Your weekly roundup of wildlife news from across the country

Someone is Shooting Sea Otters off the Coast of California
Wildlife officials are asking anyone to come forward who may have information about who is behind the recent shooting of several endangered southern sea otters. Bodies of three of the animals washed ashore with gunshot wounds earlier this summer, and local authorities are offering a reward of at least $10,000 to find the person responsible.

More on this disturbing attack on endangered sea otters >

The Numbers Don’t Look Good for Africa’s Elephants
Scientists recently published the results of the first ever continent-wide survey of elephants in Africa. They found that from 2007-2014, poachers wiped out nearly one-third of Africa’s savanna elephants. Of course, we already knew that elephants were under extreme pressure from poaching for the ivory trade, but it’s alarming to see just how far down that trade has driven the population. This study is another reminder of how vital it is that we work to combat wildlife trafficking as a whole, and continue to push for closing loopholes and better enforcement to crack down on ivory trade in the U.S.

Read more about the study’s findings and what they mean for elephants >

Say Hello to Katahdin Woods and Waters!
The latest addition to America’s collection of national monuments is a beautiful 87,500-acre area of forest, rivers and lakes in Maine. It’s an area rich in wildlife, including 75 species of birds, as well as martens, beavers, fishers, and the endangered Canada lynx.

Find out more about our newest national monument >

Wildlife Officials Remind Beachgoers: Hands off the Hatchlings!
We get it – newly hatched sea turtles are cute. But interfering with these tiny reptiles, even with the best of intentions, is a big no-no. Wildlife officials in Florida are reminding beachgoers that the best way to enjoy the experience of spotting sea turtle hatchlings on the beach is to do so at a distance. Don’t “help” them to the water, don’t try to dig them out of their nest faster, and for goodness sake don’t pick them up just to take a photo! These actions aren’t just dangerous for the hatchlings – they’re also illegal. So leave these tiny troopers alone to make their trek to the water.

Find out how you can safely help sea turtles when you visit the beach >

How Can You Protect A Species You Can’t Find?
Evidence of fishers in Montana is growing scarce – even more so than usual for these rare forest dwellers. Without enough hard data to know for sure how Montana’s fishers are doing, we need to take new steps to protect them.

Learn about the work we’re doing for fishers in Montana >

Red Wolves Going, Going…Gone?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has all but abandoned Red Wolves in North Carolina. This could mean certain extinction in the wild for a critically endangered wolf species that exists in the wild nowhere else on the planet. But it’s not too late to help these rare wolves.

Learn more and raise your voice for Red Wolves >

Saving the World’s Littlest Porpoise
The U.S. and Mexico are joining forces to help save the critically endangered vaquita, enacting new rules on fishing methods in the tiny porpoise’s habitat, and pledging to do more to enforce them. But will the new measures be enough?

Our experts weigh in on what needs to happen to bring these rare animals back from the brink >

A Frustrating Loss for Washington’s Wolves
Our team has been working for years to help livestock producers avoid conflicts with wolves, specifically because of the lethal results that these conflicts often end up having for wolves. In many cases, using nonlethal tools is enough to keep wolves away from livestock and out of trouble. This time, it wasn’t.

Learn about what we’re doing to move wolf recovery forward in Washington >

A Tuna in Trouble
With demand for its meat high and its populations low, the Pacific bluefin tuna is in some serious trouble. In fact, pressure from fishing combined with other threats has caused a staggering 97.4% decline. So we’re joining forces with other conservation groups to petition for the Pacific bluefin to be protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Discover more about this impressive fish and the threats it faces >

Sea Turtles Thriving at Archie Carr
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports a new record set for the number of loggerhead sea turtle nests at Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, with more than 20,000 nests so far! This year has been strong for other sea turtle nesting efforts at Archie Carr too, with 1,295 green sea turtle nests, 72 leatherback nests and one nest from a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle – the rarest and most endangered sea turtle species in the world.

Find out more about Archie Carr NWR and the important habitat it protects for nesting sea turtles >

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