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California condor global population exceeds 600 - a milestone for California condors!

As of December 31, 2025, the global population of California condor exceeded 600 individuals, including birds in the wild and those in zoos and breeding centers dedicated to their recovery. Together the partners in the California Condor Recovery Program have grown the free-flying, wild population from a low of 22 birds in 1982 back to almost 400 today. The wild population increased to 392 individuals, up from 373 in 2024, including captive breeding and release and chicks produced in the wild. In 2025, an estimated 16 condor chicks successfully fledged in the wild across six release sites. But the work is not done. The long-term goal is to grow the wild population to be self-sustaining.

The California Condor Recovery Program is an international program led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration among many agencies and organizations. We thank our many partners dedicated to bringing this remarkable species back from the brink of extinction.

Photo 1 by Joseph Brandt/USFWS
Photo 2 courtesy of S. Herrera
Photo 3 by N. Weprin/USFWS
Photo 4 courtesy of Matt Mais/Yurok Tribe #californiacondor

California condor global population exceeds 600 - a milestone for California condors!

As of December 31, 2025, the global population of California condor exceeded 600 individuals, including birds in the wild and those in zoos and breeding centers dedicated to their recovery. Together the partners in the California Condor Recovery Program have grown the free-flying, wild population from a low of 22 birds in 1982 back to almost 400 today. The wild population increased to 392 individuals, up from 373 in 2024, including captive breeding and release and chicks produced in the wild. In 2025, an estimated 16 condor chicks successfully fledged in the wild across six release sites. But the work is not done. The long-term goal is to grow the wild population to be self-sustaining.

The California Condor Recovery Program is an international program led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration among many agencies and organizations. We thank our many partners dedicated to bringing this remarkable species back from the brink of extinction.

Photo 1 by Joseph Brandt/USFWS
Photo 2 courtesy of S. Herrera
Photo 3 by N. Weprin/USFWS
Photo 4 courtesy of Matt Mais/Yurok Tribe #californiacondor

California condor global population exceeds 600 - a milestone for California condors!

As of December 31, 2025, the global population of California condor exceeded 600 individuals, including birds in the wild and those in zoos and breeding centers dedicated to their recovery. Together the partners in the California Condor Recovery Program have grown the free-flying, wild population from a low of 22 birds in 1982 back to almost 400 today. The wild population increased to 392 individuals, up from 373 in 2024, including captive breeding and release and chicks produced in the wild. In 2025, an estimated 16 condor chicks successfully fledged in the wild across six release sites. But the work is not done. The long-term goal is to grow the wild population to be self-sustaining.

The California Condor Recovery Program is an international program led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration among many agencies and organizations. We thank our many partners dedicated to bringing this remarkable species back from the brink of extinction.

Photo 1 by Joseph Brandt/USFWS
Photo 2 courtesy of S. Herrera
Photo 3 by N. Weprin/USFWS
Photo 4 courtesy of Matt Mais/Yurok Tribe #californiacondor

California condor global population exceeds 600 - a milestone for California condors!

As of December 31, 2025, the global population of California condor exceeded 600 individuals, including birds in the wild and those in zoos and breeding centers dedicated to their recovery. Together the partners in the California Condor Recovery Program have grown the free-flying, wild population from a low of 22 birds in 1982 back to almost 400 today. The wild population increased to 392 individuals, up from 373 in 2024, including captive breeding and release and chicks produced in the wild. In 2025, an estimated 16 condor chicks successfully fledged in the wild across six release sites. But the work is not done. The long-term goal is to grow the wild population to be self-sustaining.

The California Condor Recovery Program is an international program led by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in collaboration among many agencies and organizations. We thank our many partners dedicated to bringing this remarkable species back from the brink of extinction.

Photo 1 by Joseph Brandt/USFWS
Photo 2 courtesy of S. Herrera
Photo 3 by N. Weprin/USFWS
Photo 4 courtesy of Matt Mais/Yurok Tribe #californiacondor

Find someone who makes you want to sing and dance like these black-footed albatross!

These beautiful seabirds, named ka’upu in Hawaiian, began arriving on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in November, excitedly reuniting with mates they haven’t seen since summer.

The first ka’upu chicks will start hatching right about now on the wildlife refuge in the northwestern reaches of the Hawaiian archipelago.

USFWS volunteer video: Dan Rapp

Ladies and gentleman... the elegant stinkhorn.

This mushroom isn’t just out here making observers uncomfortable. That dark slimy coating on the tip is called gleba, a foul-smelling spore mass that attracts flies and other insects. The insects land on the stinkhorn, get covered in spores, then fly off to spread the fungus somewhere else.

Elegant stinkhorns are commonly found in gardens, mulch beds, forests, and wood debris during warm, wet weather across much of eastern North America. Despite the smell, they’re an important part of the ecosystem, helping break down organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the soil.

Photos by Erin Huggins/USFWS

Ladies and gentleman... the elegant stinkhorn.

This mushroom isn’t just out here making observers uncomfortable. That dark slimy coating on the tip is called gleba, a foul-smelling spore mass that attracts flies and other insects. The insects land on the stinkhorn, get covered in spores, then fly off to spread the fungus somewhere else.

Elegant stinkhorns are commonly found in gardens, mulch beds, forests, and wood debris during warm, wet weather across much of eastern North America. Despite the smell, they’re an important part of the ecosystem, helping break down organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the soil.

Photos by Erin Huggins/USFWS

In honor of World Turtle Day, here’s a fun turtle fact: turtles don’t have external ears, but they can still hear you!

Their eardrums are hidden beneath a layer of skin and scales that help them detect vibrations. This allows turtles to hear both underwater and on land.

Pretty amazing, right? That’s just one more reason to love them- happy World Turtle Day!

Video of Eastern box turtle by Lisa Hupp/USFWS

“Uuuuuuuuuggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” - These egret chicks

Being a baby bird is hard work. You wake up every morning, sit in your cramped nest with your siblings, and wait for one of your parents to come back and regurgitate food to you.
All that^, PLUS you have yet to grow into your feathers, legs, and bill.
Never fear, little babies, your independence is not far off.

These young birds take their first steps out of their nest approximately 25 days after hatching. Flight is a little further off than that as they strengthen their wings and practice hopping from branch to branch.

Hey, they have a shorter awkward teen phase than most of us do🤷‍♀️

Photo 1 Egret chicks by USFWS
Photo 2 Egret rookery by USFWS

“Uuuuuuuuuggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” - These egret chicks

Being a baby bird is hard work. You wake up every morning, sit in your cramped nest with your siblings, and wait for one of your parents to come back and regurgitate food to you.
All that^, PLUS you have yet to grow into your feathers, legs, and bill.
Never fear, little babies, your independence is not far off.

These young birds take their first steps out of their nest approximately 25 days after hatching. Flight is a little further off than that as they strengthen their wings and practice hopping from branch to branch.

Hey, they have a shorter awkward teen phase than most of us do🤷‍♀️

Photo 1 Egret chicks by USFWS
Photo 2 Egret rookery by USFWS

Get to know the five beautiful members of the Gilt Darter species complex! 🐟

"Ok, but what is a species "complex"?!?" you ask? It's a group of closely related species where typically some new species have been recently described. 🧬

Get the scoop on our latest Fish of the Week podcast episode, where we dig into what makes a species a species and how describing biodiversity is important to conservation. Tune into new episodes every Monday on our FWS website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎣

Gilt Darter (Percina evides) 📷 Matt Thomas/Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service
Masquerade Darter (P. obscura)📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Brassy Darter(P. campestria) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Western Gilt Darter (P. hespera) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Russet Darter (P. versacolor) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University

#AllTheFish #Biodiversity #Conservation

Get to know the five beautiful members of the Gilt Darter species complex! 🐟

"Ok, but what is a species "complex"?!?" you ask? It's a group of closely related species where typically some new species have been recently described. 🧬

Get the scoop on our latest Fish of the Week podcast episode, where we dig into what makes a species a species and how describing biodiversity is important to conservation. Tune into new episodes every Monday on our FWS website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎣

Gilt Darter (Percina evides) 📷 Matt Thomas/Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service
Masquerade Darter (P. obscura)📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Brassy Darter(P. campestria) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Western Gilt Darter (P. hespera) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Russet Darter (P. versacolor) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University

#AllTheFish #Biodiversity #Conservation

Get to know the five beautiful members of the Gilt Darter species complex! 🐟

"Ok, but what is a species "complex"?!?" you ask? It's a group of closely related species where typically some new species have been recently described. 🧬

Get the scoop on our latest Fish of the Week podcast episode, where we dig into what makes a species a species and how describing biodiversity is important to conservation. Tune into new episodes every Monday on our FWS website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎣

Gilt Darter (Percina evides) 📷 Matt Thomas/Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service
Masquerade Darter (P. obscura)📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Brassy Darter(P. campestria) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Western Gilt Darter (P. hespera) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Russet Darter (P. versacolor) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University

#AllTheFish #Biodiversity #Conservation

Get to know the five beautiful members of the Gilt Darter species complex! 🐟

"Ok, but what is a species "complex"?!?" you ask? It's a group of closely related species where typically some new species have been recently described. 🧬

Get the scoop on our latest Fish of the Week podcast episode, where we dig into what makes a species a species and how describing biodiversity is important to conservation. Tune into new episodes every Monday on our FWS website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎣

Gilt Darter (Percina evides) 📷 Matt Thomas/Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service
Masquerade Darter (P. obscura)📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Brassy Darter(P. campestria) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Western Gilt Darter (P. hespera) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Russet Darter (P. versacolor) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University

#AllTheFish #Biodiversity #Conservation

Get to know the five beautiful members of the Gilt Darter species complex! 🐟

"Ok, but what is a species "complex"?!?" you ask? It's a group of closely related species where typically some new species have been recently described. 🧬

Get the scoop on our latest Fish of the Week podcast episode, where we dig into what makes a species a species and how describing biodiversity is important to conservation. Tune into new episodes every Monday on our FWS website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎣

Gilt Darter (Percina evides) 📷 Matt Thomas/Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Service
Masquerade Darter (P. obscura)📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Brassy Darter(P. campestria) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Western Gilt Darter (P. hespera) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University
Russet Darter (P. versacolor) 📷 Julia Wood/Yale University

#AllTheFish #Biodiversity #Conservation

UPDATED: Over 1,800 turtles stolen from the wild – a major wildlife trafficking case exposed.

Between January 2022 and December 2023, 1,700 loggerhead musk turtles, 100 striped-neck musk turtles and 15 striped mud turtles were poached from their native habitats in Florida and sold overseas. The shipments, valued in total $550,000, were part of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Operation Southern Hot Herps, a coordinated enforcement action to detect and deter turtle poachers in the southeastern United States.

The illegally collected turtles involved in this illicit pet trade were transported through San Francisco to Taiwan under export permits falsely claiming they were captive-bred. The shipment featured in these photos contained approximately 170 loggerhead musk turtles per box, packed in small laundry bags with wet paper towels and frozen packs of broccoli to keep them cool.

Florida law protects fresh and marine turtle species from unregulated harvest. Loggerhead musk turtles, stripe-neck musk turtles and striped mud turtles are all protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). A Louisiana man has been arrested and charged in connection with this trafficking operation and is currently awaiting legal proceedings.

Wildlife smuggling is not only illegal, but also incredibly cruel. Turtles caught in this illegal trade often suffer severe injuries, such as broken shells, and endure extreme stress that can lead to death. Additionally, you will face charges if you’re caught trafficking wildlife and can potentially face prison time and up to a $250,000 fine or more in certain circumstances.

Report a wildlife crime: 1-844-FWS-TIPS

Photos by USFWS #NationalPoliceWeek

UPDATED: Over 1,800 turtles stolen from the wild – a major wildlife trafficking case exposed.

Between January 2022 and December 2023, 1,700 loggerhead musk turtles, 100 striped-neck musk turtles and 15 striped mud turtles were poached from their native habitats in Florida and sold overseas. The shipments, valued in total $550,000, were part of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Operation Southern Hot Herps, a coordinated enforcement action to detect and deter turtle poachers in the southeastern United States.

The illegally collected turtles involved in this illicit pet trade were transported through San Francisco to Taiwan under export permits falsely claiming they were captive-bred. The shipment featured in these photos contained approximately 170 loggerhead musk turtles per box, packed in small laundry bags with wet paper towels and frozen packs of broccoli to keep them cool.

Florida law protects fresh and marine turtle species from unregulated harvest. Loggerhead musk turtles, stripe-neck musk turtles and striped mud turtles are all protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). A Louisiana man has been arrested and charged in connection with this trafficking operation and is currently awaiting legal proceedings.

Wildlife smuggling is not only illegal, but also incredibly cruel. Turtles caught in this illegal trade often suffer severe injuries, such as broken shells, and endure extreme stress that can lead to death. Additionally, you will face charges if you’re caught trafficking wildlife and can potentially face prison time and up to a $250,000 fine or more in certain circumstances.

Report a wildlife crime: 1-844-FWS-TIPS

Photos by USFWS #NationalPoliceWeek

UPDATED: Over 1,800 turtles stolen from the wild – a major wildlife trafficking case exposed.

Between January 2022 and December 2023, 1,700 loggerhead musk turtles, 100 striped-neck musk turtles and 15 striped mud turtles were poached from their native habitats in Florida and sold overseas. The shipments, valued in total $550,000, were part of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Operation Southern Hot Herps, a coordinated enforcement action to detect and deter turtle poachers in the southeastern United States.

The illegally collected turtles involved in this illicit pet trade were transported through San Francisco to Taiwan under export permits falsely claiming they were captive-bred. The shipment featured in these photos contained approximately 170 loggerhead musk turtles per box, packed in small laundry bags with wet paper towels and frozen packs of broccoli to keep them cool.

Florida law protects fresh and marine turtle species from unregulated harvest. Loggerhead musk turtles, stripe-neck musk turtles and striped mud turtles are all protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). A Louisiana man has been arrested and charged in connection with this trafficking operation and is currently awaiting legal proceedings.

Wildlife smuggling is not only illegal, but also incredibly cruel. Turtles caught in this illegal trade often suffer severe injuries, such as broken shells, and endure extreme stress that can lead to death. Additionally, you will face charges if you’re caught trafficking wildlife and can potentially face prison time and up to a $250,000 fine or more in certain circumstances.

Report a wildlife crime: 1-844-FWS-TIPS

Photos by USFWS #NationalPoliceWeek

Come for the nose boop, stay for the monk seal moans!

Pupping season for Hawaiian monk seals, or ‘Īlioholoikauaua, started last month on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, on the outer northwest edge of the Hawaiian archipelago.

Hawaiian monk seal pups weigh 25-35 pounds at birth, and like the 1-week-old in this video, have black fur. After five to seven weeks of drinking mom’s fat-rich milk, the pups can grow to be 200 pounds and their fur color will lighten. Mothers fast during this period and do not leave their pup to forage.

‘Īlioholoikauaua only live in the Hawaiian archipelago, the majority within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, and are one of the most endangered seal species in the world.

There is reason for cautious optimism, however, as population numbers have slowly increased in the last decade thanks to recovery efforts. The population is now estimated to be around 1,600 seals.

USFWS volunteer video: Dan Rapp
Video captured under NOAA research permit No. 27552 with a high-power zoom lens.

Video description: A black seal pup approaches its mother in the shallow water, sharing a nose touch and some wails, as waves roll by on the white sand beach

As bears begin searching for food after months of winter inactivity, human-bear encounters tend to increase. Many of these encounters can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions:

• Give bears plenty of space and never approach them.
• Store food, garbage, pet food, grills, and other attractants securely.
• Keep campsites and outdoor areas clean.
• Make noise while hiking to avoid surprising a bear.
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it properly.
• Never run from a bear.

Learn more ways to stay safe and be bear aware at our link in bio.

Photo of a grizzly bear by Debbie Leff (sharetheexperience)
Photo of Kodiak bear on sign by USFWS/Hillebrand
Photo of a black bear by Courtney Celley/USFWS

As bears begin searching for food after months of winter inactivity, human-bear encounters tend to increase. Many of these encounters can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions:

• Give bears plenty of space and never approach them.
• Store food, garbage, pet food, grills, and other attractants securely.
• Keep campsites and outdoor areas clean.
• Make noise while hiking to avoid surprising a bear.
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it properly.
• Never run from a bear.

Learn more ways to stay safe and be bear aware at our link in bio.

Photo of a grizzly bear by Debbie Leff (sharetheexperience)
Photo of Kodiak bear on sign by USFWS/Hillebrand
Photo of a black bear by Courtney Celley/USFWS

As bears begin searching for food after months of winter inactivity, human-bear encounters tend to increase. Many of these encounters can be prevented by taking a few simple precautions:

• Give bears plenty of space and never approach them.
• Store food, garbage, pet food, grills, and other attractants securely.
• Keep campsites and outdoor areas clean.
• Make noise while hiking to avoid surprising a bear.
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it properly.
• Never run from a bear.

Learn more ways to stay safe and be bear aware at our link in bio.

Photo of a grizzly bear by Debbie Leff (sharetheexperience)
Photo of Kodiak bear on sign by USFWS/Hillebrand
Photo of a black bear by Courtney Celley/USFWS

On Endangered Species Day, we’d like to give a shoutout to wetlands.

These habitats may look wet and swampy, but they support an incredible number of threatened and endangered species across the United States. FACT: nearly half of all federally listed species in the United States are wetland dependent.

Wetlands provide food, shelter, breeding habitat, nesting areas, and migration stopovers for wildlife that depend on healthy water and intact ecosystems to survive. Wildlife like whooping cranes, bog turtles, rare fish, cool frogs, imperiled plants, and countless other species all call wetlands their home.

Wetlands also help people by improving water quality, reducing flooding, and buffering communities from storms. Wow. Wetlands for the win.

Join us in celebrating the swamps, marshes, bogs, and other gloriously soggy places helping to keep endangered species around for future generations.

Photo of a wetland at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge by Cheryl Callanan (sharetheexperience)
Photos of bog turtle, whooping crane and male Barrens topminnow by USFWS

On Endangered Species Day, we’d like to give a shoutout to wetlands.

These habitats may look wet and swampy, but they support an incredible number of threatened and endangered species across the United States. FACT: nearly half of all federally listed species in the United States are wetland dependent.

Wetlands provide food, shelter, breeding habitat, nesting areas, and migration stopovers for wildlife that depend on healthy water and intact ecosystems to survive. Wildlife like whooping cranes, bog turtles, rare fish, cool frogs, imperiled plants, and countless other species all call wetlands their home.

Wetlands also help people by improving water quality, reducing flooding, and buffering communities from storms. Wow. Wetlands for the win.

Join us in celebrating the swamps, marshes, bogs, and other gloriously soggy places helping to keep endangered species around for future generations.

Photo of a wetland at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge by Cheryl Callanan (sharetheexperience)
Photos of bog turtle, whooping crane and male Barrens topminnow by USFWS

On Endangered Species Day, we’d like to give a shoutout to wetlands.

These habitats may look wet and swampy, but they support an incredible number of threatened and endangered species across the United States. FACT: nearly half of all federally listed species in the United States are wetland dependent.

Wetlands provide food, shelter, breeding habitat, nesting areas, and migration stopovers for wildlife that depend on healthy water and intact ecosystems to survive. Wildlife like whooping cranes, bog turtles, rare fish, cool frogs, imperiled plants, and countless other species all call wetlands their home.

Wetlands also help people by improving water quality, reducing flooding, and buffering communities from storms. Wow. Wetlands for the win.

Join us in celebrating the swamps, marshes, bogs, and other gloriously soggy places helping to keep endangered species around for future generations.

Photo of a wetland at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge by Cheryl Callanan (sharetheexperience)
Photos of bog turtle, whooping crane and male Barrens topminnow by USFWS

On Endangered Species Day, we’d like to give a shoutout to wetlands.

These habitats may look wet and swampy, but they support an incredible number of threatened and endangered species across the United States. FACT: nearly half of all federally listed species in the United States are wetland dependent.

Wetlands provide food, shelter, breeding habitat, nesting areas, and migration stopovers for wildlife that depend on healthy water and intact ecosystems to survive. Wildlife like whooping cranes, bog turtles, rare fish, cool frogs, imperiled plants, and countless other species all call wetlands their home.

Wetlands also help people by improving water quality, reducing flooding, and buffering communities from storms. Wow. Wetlands for the win.

Join us in celebrating the swamps, marshes, bogs, and other gloriously soggy places helping to keep endangered species around for future generations.

Photo of a wetland at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge by Cheryl Callanan (sharetheexperience)
Photos of bog turtle, whooping crane and male Barrens topminnow by USFWS

What is the most wholesome thing you’ve seen today and why is it this opossum family?

Easy answer. Look at those little faces 😍

Once baby opossums outgrow their mother’s pouch, they often ride on their her back instead. With everyone loaded up and accounted for, she can move freely and forage for food.

📸Larry Woodward/USFWS

They may have four legs, but they’re full members of the team.

Our K9s work alongside Federal Wildlife Inspectors and Federal Wildlife Officers to detect illegal wildlife products, track evidence, and support investigations.

From ports of entry to national wildlife refuges, these teams help stop wildlife trafficking and support enforcement operations across the country. Let’s paws for a moment and recognize the K9s and handlers helping protect our nation every day.

#NationalPoliceWeek

Photos by USFWS

They may have four legs, but they’re full members of the team.

Our K9s work alongside Federal Wildlife Inspectors and Federal Wildlife Officers to detect illegal wildlife products, track evidence, and support investigations.

From ports of entry to national wildlife refuges, these teams help stop wildlife trafficking and support enforcement operations across the country. Let’s paws for a moment and recognize the K9s and handlers helping protect our nation every day.

#NationalPoliceWeek

Photos by USFWS

They may have four legs, but they’re full members of the team.

Our K9s work alongside Federal Wildlife Inspectors and Federal Wildlife Officers to detect illegal wildlife products, track evidence, and support investigations.

From ports of entry to national wildlife refuges, these teams help stop wildlife trafficking and support enforcement operations across the country. Let’s paws for a moment and recognize the K9s and handlers helping protect our nation every day.

#NationalPoliceWeek

Photos by USFWS

They may have four legs, but they’re full members of the team.

Our K9s work alongside Federal Wildlife Inspectors and Federal Wildlife Officers to detect illegal wildlife products, track evidence, and support investigations.

From ports of entry to national wildlife refuges, these teams help stop wildlife trafficking and support enforcement operations across the country. Let’s paws for a moment and recognize the K9s and handlers helping protect our nation every day.

#NationalPoliceWeek

Photos by USFWS