National Wildlife Federation Blog

1 week ago | blog.nwf.org | Portia Bharath

This is the third of a three-part blog series highlighting 15 key takeaways about the Gulf’s recovery since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill 15 years ago—its wildlife, restoration successes, and the urgent need for continued investment for environmental and economic success. Read the first and second blogs in the series here. What’s next? These are the major restoration efforts we must prioritize with the once-in-a-generation opportunity BP fines grant us.

1 week ago | blog.nwf.org | David Williams |Portia Bharath

April 7-13 was National Wildlife Week and April is Earth Month, a time to be especially aware of the ecosystem that sustains us and how we can be better stewards of the nature that surrounds us—be it in the wilderness, our cities, or our backyard. Back in my youth, I was a park ranger at Arches National Park. Walking the trails and leading campfire talks, I was struck by how interested visitors were in the flora, fauna, and rocks of the park.

3 weeks ago | blog.nwf.org | Tess Renusch |Portia Bharath

Gardeners across the country are searching for flowers to make their gardens pop! While there are lots of considerations when it comes to choosing plants, one big one is whether they are native to your region!Native plants are essential to support local wildlife like butterflies, bees, birds, and more. Check out some of our favorite native flowers for beginner and expert wildlife gardeners alike.

3 weeks ago | blog.nwf.org | Kristy Jones |Portia Bharath

Rattlesnakes are one of the most iconic groups of North American snakes due to the characteristic “rattle” found at the tip of their tails. Did you ever wonder what makes that rattle sound? A rattlesnake’s rattle is composed of a series of interlocking scales, which the snake adds to each time it molts. Muscle contractions cause the scales to click together, resulting in a rattling sound.

4 weeks ago | blog.nwf.org | Diane E. Pataki |Portia Bharath

Do you remember the growing hole in the earth’s ozone layer? Or acid rain? Do you remember when bald eagles were close to extinction because there were less than 500 breeding pairs left in the wild? Unless you’re of a certain age, you may not remember those environmental crises at all, because today we’ve come a long way toward solving them.