In February, California wildlife officials voted to extend threatened-species protections to roughly 1,400 mountain lions across the Santa Cruz Mountains, Central Coast, Santa Monica, San Gabriel, San Bernardino, Santa Ana, and Eastern Peninsular ranges. This decision followed a 2019 petition, temporary protections that began in 2020, and a state review that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife completed in December 2025. In February 2026, the California Fish and Ga

Illinois lawmakers have approved a bill intended to broadly expand protections for wild animals by extending the state’s ban on using them in traveling shows. Governor JB Pritzker must now decide whether to sign it into law. If signed, Illinois House Bill 4255 would expand Illinois’ ban on elephants in traveling acts to also cover cougars, jaguars, lions, tigers, primates, bears, hybrids of these species, and most leopards. Amur leopards are excluded from the leopard category

The Rio Grande cooter (Pseudemys gorzugi) is a native freshwater turtle found in the Rio Grande drainage, including southeastern New Mexico, where biologists are studying its status and habitat needs. Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service This summer, biologists will return to the Black River in Eddy County to study one of New Mexico’s lesser-known native turtles. The Rio Grande cooter, one of New Mexico’s 10 native turtle species, is listed