U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

Never underestimate the power of mussels. ???? Did you know we have a Mussel Mortality Response Team? In partnership with other organizations, this team investigates pathogenic causes of mussel mortality events. Unlike fish die-offs, mussel mass mortality events can be harder to find because the shells are often found under the surface of the water. Scientists are trying to better understand the scope of these events. Freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered species in the world and the ecosystems they are found in cannot afford to lose such an important organism. Check out the comments to learn more about a critter that some call "the livers of our rivers" because of their ability to filter water. #UnleashTheScience Photo of two tanks showing the impact of freshwater mussels' pumping power. The one on the left had no mussels and the one on the right had fifteen mussels. In just 90 minutes, the mussels cleared the tank of suspended particles. Photo courtesy of D. Kreeger, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

Oh to be a Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew stumbling upon a baited camera trap! It would be like taking a walk around your neighborhood and coming across a mountain of your favorite treat -- free for the taking in exchange for a commemorative photo. This little shrew found itself caught by the lens of one of 36 camera traps set by our refuge staff at Kern National Wildlife Refuge as it dined on mealworms. Not much is known about this endangered subspecies of ornate shrew that calls California's San Joaquin Valley home, but because of this study, we're beginning to learn more. For instance, it was thought that the shrew mostly stayed close to water, but now we're finding that they can be found foraging nearly a mile away from the closest water source. We will be continuing this camera study for at least one year to understand more about how the shrew uses different plants and other parts of its habitat throughout the seasons. Video of a Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew poking it nose through a pile of mealworms by USFWS

No, it’s not too early to celebrate Christmas – the Christmas shearwater, that is [sound on!] These seabirds, called ?ao?ū on Hawaiian Islands, make an incredible, repeated call, almost like a low-pitched squeaky toy, and return to their birth site every nesting season. At Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, in the northwestern edge of the Hawaiian archipelago, the last Christmas shearwater (?ao?ū) chicks fledge by the end of November. USFWS volunteer video: Dan Rapp Video description: opening big title reads ‘Meet the Christmas Shearwater,’ then fades to show close-up shots of all-black seabird on ground; at 15 seconds fade to close-up shots of gray chick partially obscured under plant roots, with title that reads ‘chick.’

How do you hold a large alligator snapping turtle? I’d say VERRRY carefully. Recently staff at Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery released their last batch of alligator snapping turtles for the year. Since their head start program began, they’ve released a total of 494 alligator snapping turtles at Barksdale Airforce Base and several national wildlife refuges as part of a restoration project. These turtles are the largest freshwater turtles in North America and can weigh an impressive 250 lbs. National fish hatcheries raise fish and other aquatic animals to support conservation. Photo credit: USFWS

Studying seabirds at one of the most northern points of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge comes with its own set of unique challenges. In late October when biologists went to retrieve cameras mounted up at Cape Lisburne (on the Arctic Ocean), they came across this fantastical landscape! The ocean spray, fierce winds, and freezing temperatures had transformed the seabird cliffs into a gallery of icicles.?? Once the cameras thaw, refuge scientists will retrieve a season’s worth of photos documenting the lives of common and thick-billed murres and black-legged kittiwakes. For nearly 50 years, seabird populations have been studied at Cape Lisburne, helping scientists monitor how seabirds respond to environmental changes. This long-term monitoring supports the USFWS and researchers in predicting population trends and informs ecological, environmental, and fisheries management. Seabirds, which rely on the marine environment for food and survival, are key indicators of the health of the overall ecosystem.

When your chomp chomp is bigger than your stomp stomp. Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery in Louisiana recently released their first batch of gopher tortoises! For almost two years, these tiny reptiles got a head start at the fish hatchery. It's during those first years of life, that a gopher tortoise is at its most vulnerable. By providing the tortoises with food, safety and shelter, we give the little chompers a better chance of survival and a greater chance to make it to adulthood. This video of a tiny gopher tortoise munching and foraging on plants, was taken right after being released into the wild. Video by Hadley Henry/USFWS

Join our team as a FIELD SUPERVISOR (PROJECT LEADER) for our Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office in California! This is a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic and innovative leader to join our Ecological Services Leadership Team! The Field Supervisor oversees an office of approximately 50 dedicated and talented staff with responsibility for implementation of the Endangered Species Act (Ecological Services Program), communication of our work (Office of Communications), and private lands conservation efforts (Partners for Fish and Wildlife and Coastal Program). Apply now: https://lnkd.in/guiiuaGd Application closes on December 3, 2024 (potentially sooner pending on number of applicants). Photo of a beach with the Channel Islands in the distance by Ashley McConnell/USFWS. Landscape photo by Karen Sinclair/USFWS

Freshwater mussels are one of nature’s greatest natural filtration systems. Both of these tanks contain water from a nearby stream. The tank on the right contains freshwater mussels and after a few hours, the difference is clear. One mussel alone can filter 24 gallons of water in a day. By feeding on microscopic particles in the water, freshwater mussels remove vast quantities of algae, bacteria, nitrogen, phosphorus and other chemical compounds in the river. And what they don’t use is repackaged into little organic baskets of food for organisms like aquatic insects and fish. Check out how biologists are recovering a funky-named freshwater mussel called the purple bean by doing mussel health check-ups and tagging them with...dental cement? https://ow.ly/o3Fj50U9gIe

Typically found from Alaska into the Pacific Northwest in the summer and in parts of Mexico in the winter, rufous hummingbirds sometimes wander all the way east! This one was spotted in Illinois. Hummingbirds can cover great distances quickly thanks to their incredible endurance and accumulated body fat. ?? courtesy of Gordon Garcia

Sometimes we all feel a bit prickly. Lark buntings not only stand on prickly chollas, but they also often build their nests at the base of them. The cactus provides shade and protection for their nests. Photo: Renee Tressler/USFWS