WILDLIFE

The Michigan DNR, Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, and USDA are sampling deer in Charlevoix and Antrim counties following bovine TB detection in a local cattle herd. Partners including the Antrim County and Charlevoix County Farm Bureaus, Little Traverse Conservancy, Baiardi Family Foundation, and Manna Food Project are coordinating efforts to test and donate venison to local families.

SCI Foundation's Education Department released a one-hour documentary on YouTube exploring grizzly bear recovery in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide ecosystems. Featuring perspectives from state and tribal wildlife managers, ranchers, outfitters, and conservationists, the film highlights science-based wildlife management and public education through partnerships including Safari Club International Foundation, Bear Trust International, and Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Montana's spring wildflowers are beginning to emerge across diverse habitats from mountain tops to sagebrush areas. The article features eight early-blooming species including Yellow Glacier Lilies, Pasqueflower, Bitterroot, and Shootingstar, with details on their appearance, bloom times, and locations throughout the state.

The U.S. Geological Survey and Yellowstone National Park's Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team will conduct grizzly bear captures from May 1 through October 15 for population monitoring under the Endangered Species Act. The public is urged to heed warning signs marking capture sites in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Idaho Fish and Game advises against intervening with seemingly abandoned baby wildlife, as mothers typically leave their young temporarily to feed or rest. Well-intentioned rescues often cause harm, and raising wild animals is illegal in Idaho without proper permits and expertise.

Big Snap Daddy, an iconic common snapping turtle at Schramm Education Center's aquarium, died April 20 at approximately 96-100 years old. The world's largest common snapping turtle, weighing 102 pounds, had been on display since the early 1990s after being caught in the Missouri River near Peru.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has 15 desert tortoises available for adoption. DWR Native Herpetology Coordinator Alyssa Hoekstra emphasizes that captive tortoises cannot be released to the wild due to disease concerns, particularly upper respiratory tract disease. Interested adopters must submit an application, design appropriate environments, and live outside Washington County.

Arkansas black bears are emerging from dens this spring to find new territories. Spencer Daniels, AGFC Bear Program coordinator, advises securing trash cans, removing wildlife feeders, and cleaning grills to prevent nuisance encounters. Making noise and maintaining distance typically encourages bears to move on.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will host a free bear safety workshop on April 20 in Bozeman, offering hands-on practice with inert bear spray, lectures on bear biology, and displays including grizzly and black bear mounts. Participants can practice using bear spray in a simulated charging bear demonstration, weather permitting.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources provides guidance on preventing bear conflicts as black bears emerge from hibernation. DWR Game Mammals Coordinator Chad Wilson emphasizes securing food, maintaining clean campsites, and never feeding bears to prevent dangerous situations and unnecessary euthanization.

Oklahoma's Youth Spring Turkey Season opens April 11-12, with the regular season running April 16-May 16. The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and Oklahoma State University are completing a $2 million research effort on wild turkey populations, while field reports from ODWC biologists indicate increased turkey numbers across most regions despite drought conditions in western areas.

A female grizzly bear translocated from Montana's Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem to Wyoming's Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem two years ago was recently photographed with cubs at her den site. The translocation, a partnership between Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and Yellowstone National Park, demonstrates commitment to genetic diversity in recovered grizzly populations.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department launched SCOUT, a specialized tool designed to analyze annual sage-grouse lek activity and build adaptive management strategies. The tool will be presented to the Sage-Grouse Implementation Team on April 8 in Casper.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department distributed 8,500 blood collection kits to elk hunters in 2025, receiving 753 samples with 22 testing positive for brucellosis exposure. Jessica Jennings, Wildlife Health Lab manager, emphasizes hunters' critical role in tracking brucellosis prevalence across Wyoming's elk herds.

Idaho Fish and Game, in cooperation with the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Idaho Trappers Association, completed the first year of a project relocating 11 fishers from the Clearwater Region to the Panhandle Region to augment populations and improve connectivity between isolated groups.

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department's 2025 bighorn sheep survey counted a record 378 sheep in western North Dakota's badlands, up 8% from 2024. Brett Wiedmann noted strong ewe numbers but poor lamb recruitment due to pneumonia, with veterinarian Logan Weyand attributing this to bacteria introduced in 2014.

As bears emerge from winter dens, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department urges residents and recreationists to take precautions to avoid conflicts. Large Carnivore Conflict Coordinator Brian DeBolt emphasizes securing attractants and staying alert while hiking, recommending the Bear Wise Wyoming program for education on bear safety and deterrence measures.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources provides guidance on handling baby birds found during spring. Jason Jones, Migratory Game Bird Coordinator, advises returning featherless birds to nests, leaving fledglings alone, and never feeding or taking baby birds home, as most are protected by state and federal laws.

Whooping cranes are migrating through North Dakota from Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas as part of a population of about 550 birds. Sightings should be reported to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offices or the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to help track these endangered birds and identify important habitat areas.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting a community bear meeting in Big Timber on April 7 to address grizzly bear expansion in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The meeting will focus on living and recreating safely in grizzly bear country, with a question-and-answer session with FWP staff.