• Wildlife
• About
  • Organizartional Chart, Contacts
  • Strategic Plan
• Highlights
• Research
  • Adaptive Management
  • Amphibians
  • Birds
  • Genetics
  • Imperiled Species
  • Invertebrates
  • Mammals: Large Species
  • Mammals: Small Species
  • Mammals: Marine Species
  • Pollinator Science
  • Reptiles
  • Wildlife Health
• Search Ecosystems
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USGS Ecosystems Wildlife: Terrestrial and Endangered Resources Program

Wildlife Program

USGS scientists supported by the Wildlife Program conduct research on migratory birds, terrestrial and marine mammals, threatened and endangered species, wildlife disease, terrestrial plants, and amphibians.

These activities focus primarily on the development of new information and tools for the management of wildlife on federally managed lands such as National Parks, National Wildlife Refuges, and Bureau of Land Management areas. USGS collaborates with state and local governments, tribal organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other federal agencies.

National Contact
Steve Hilburger, shilburger@usgs.gov, 703-648-4036

Ecosystems Science Centers

All 17 Ecosystems Mission Area Science & Research Centers conduct wildlife research. The following is not a comprehensive list of centers or studied species.

• Alaska Science Center (ASC) (migratory waterfowl, polar bear, walrus)
• National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC)
• Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center (Wolf, prairie pothole, pollinators)
• Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (Yellowstone grizzly bear)
• Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (PWRC) (Pintail, temporal-spatial changes in animals)
• Southwest Biological Science Center (SBSC) (desert tortoise, wind energy & wildlife, fire)
• Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) (waterfowl relative to habitat change in CA)

Research Topics

Adaptive Management The Adaptive Management process offers a unique mix of management and science to "learn from doing" and decrease uncertainty over time.	Amphibians These species serve as important indicators of overall environmental health.
Birds Avian species are diverse part of our national heritage, with more than 1,000 bird species protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.	Genetics USGS uses cutting edge research and technologies to answer biological questions at a molecular level.
Imperiled Species Our science is designed to understand the status of declining, Threatened, and Endangered species, and assist managers in their recovery.	Invertebrates There is a great deal to be learned about the invertebrate organisms which serve such critical ecological functions.
Mammals Large or small, in water or on land, our science enhances understanding of these captivating and charismatic animals. Marine Mammal Species Large Mammal Species Small Mammal Species	Pollinators The USGS works to provide the science decision-makers need to support pollinator conservation.
Reptiles Reptiles have unique forms and lifestyles, making them fascinating research subjects for USGS scientists who work to better understand them.	Wildlife Health and Disease USGS maintains unique capabilities to detect and describe wildlife disease, and understand the role of pathogens in the environment.