U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The application deadline to apply for the Kendra Chan Conservation Fellowship is fast approaching. The Kendra Chan Conservation Fellowship is an annual program created in collaboration with ESA-SEEDS that is dedicated to honoring Kendra's memory and preserving her conservation legacy for future generations of scientists. This fellowship will combine the Service’s Directorate Fellowship Program with the ESA’s Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability Leade...rship Development Program to create a unique opportunity for an emerging conservation leader. In 2021, the fellow will support ongoing seed conservation and outplanting efforts for several federally protected plant species that live on the Channel Islands, and develop outreach materials focused on the conservation and recovery of these rare plants. The deadline to apply is January 15th. To apply, please click here: http://manoproject.org/internships and for more info: http://ow.ly/rBQ650D0G7a. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions! Photo by Kendra Chan / USFWS

The smallest and most colorful falcon of North America, the American kestrel is a birder's delight. Its most common call sounds like: killy-killy-killy or klee-klee-klee, and is used all year round! Photo courtesy of Gordon Garcia.

Wishing you all a safe and Happy New Year! Here's to a bright and joyous 2021! Photo of Coastal dunes milk-vetch by Todd Lemein / USFWS Photo of Gaviota tarplant by Connie Rutherford / USFWS Photo of Smith's blue butterfly by Lara Drizd / USFWS... Photo of Western snowy plover courtesy of David Pereksta See more

Did you know that western pond turtles are California's only native freshwater turtles? That's right! These turtles require both aquatic and terrestrial habitats so despite their name, they are also found in marshes, streams, rivers and lakes. You might spot them sunbathing in groups on a log because among other life history requirements, the sun's rays help rid them of parasites! Photo by USFWS

Take some time to stop and smell the flowers! Woolly blue curls is a highly fragrant evergreen shrub with curly and woolly blue-purple flowers that give the plant its common name. This species is native to arid coastal chaparral regions of southern California and northern Baja California. When discovered by the Spanish conquistadors in California, they named this plant "romero," due to its resemblance to the rosemary herb. Woolly blue curls has been considered a medicinal herb and it is thought that a tea created with its leaves and flowers could soothe ailments such as stomachaches, nervous troubles, and rheumatism. Photo by Michael Glenn/USFWS

Visit us at one of our favorite events of the year - #P22Day! Learn from experts on how to coexist with wildlife, listen to music performances, enjoy speakers, and discover many more exhibits and activities! This free event kicks off at 11AM PT VIRTUALLY. See you there! Visual description: Graphic of a forest scene with a city skyline in the background and a variety of colorful flowers, trees, and animals including a mountain lion, deer, wolf, owl, butterfly, bobcat, fox, skunk, and frog.

Wildlife biologist Karen Sinclair shares her passion for art and reminds us about the power of patience and asking questions. She also challenges you to create some artwork of your own. Take a look! #WhatsYourPassion

Interested in working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service? Join our team! We're hiring a Regional Native American Liaison (GS-1035-11/12, FPL GS-13) to facilitate consultation and communication with Tribes. The full announcement, with qualifications and details about how to apply, is available at this link: http://ow.ly/gX5O50BXWoX" Photo courtesy of Chuck Szmurlo

In honor of #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth, we are taking a look back at an incredible story about Dr. Anuja Parikh, a botanist and breast cancer survivor. She played an instrumental role in collecting key data to support land managers’ and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s work to recover the San Fernando Valley spineflower, a tiny buckwheat plant once believed to be extinct in Southern California. She will not give up. When other people give up, she keeps going, said Nathan Gale, fellow botanist and husband to Parikh. To read full story: http://ow.ly/2xAP50wNUyX

We all need ways to relax and unwind. For wildlife biologist Lena Chang, this means getting in the fresh air and running outdoors. In this video, Lena takes us to one of her favorite running trails and shares why it is so special to her. #WhatsYourPassion

Meet one of our newest biologists Sarah Termondt! Sarah discusses how she discovered her passion for biology and the incredible work she has done both domestically and abroad. Learn more in our latest Faces of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service interview. http://ow.ly/JDwD50BFz2z

The National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, provides vital habitat for thousands of native species, including sandhill cranes, American alligators, bison and sea turtles. National wildlife refuges offer outstanding recreation, too. #NationalWildlifeRefugeWeek, observed the second full week of October each year, celebrates the great network of lands and waters that conserves and protects Americans’ precious wildlife heritage. Refuge Week is a perfect time to see why tens of millions of Americans visit refuges each year to enjoy fishing, hunting, hiking and wildlife watching. Learn more about events being held to celebrate these important public lands: http://ow.ly/8KK750BOjSm Photo by Ashley McConnell / USFWS

Wildlife biologist Danielle Fagre knows that you don’t have to travel far to see cool critters! They are all around us! In this video, she shows us some of her coolest finds, and challenges YOU to see what kinds of critters are in your own backyard! #WhatsYourPassion

Check out this story in the Ventura County Star for the latest information on wildfire impacts to California condors in Big Sur. http://ow.ly/Q0bV50BNyub

Biologists Leilani Takano and Amy Agee talked "virtually" with students at CSU Channel Islands about the Endangered Species Act of 1973, which is the strongest law for protecting biodiversity of any nation. Within our Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office’s jurisdiction, we work collaboratively with our partners to recover approximately 100 threatened and endangered species across the central and southern California coast. Leilani and Amy also shared how they were inspired to pursue a career in conservation and how to jumpstart careers in fish and wildlife conservation, including through our USFWS Directorate Fellows Program, a fantastic program for college students that can lead to permanent positions with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Stay tuned for announcements on 2021 Directorate Resource Assistant Fellows Program (DFP)!

We’re going to go out on a (mossy) limb and say that marbled murrelets have some really cool nesting habits! Instead of building traditional nests, these seabirds will use small depressions made in moss or debris as a nest to lay their eggs. Photos by USFWS

Now more than ever, it is important that we take time to focus on the things that bring us joy, whether that’s cooking our favorite dish, spending time outdoors, or channeling our inner-artist! Join us as staff from the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office share their passions in a new video series called What’s Your Passion? We hope that these videos will inspire you to explore your own passions and share them with us! Wildlife biologist Mike Glenn has a passion for native gardens and connecting kids with nature. Follow Mike as he goes on a backyard safari in search of native plants! Maybe you’ll be inspired to go on a backyard safari of your own! #WhatsYourPassion

NEWS ALERT! Beach layia is one step closer to recovery! We are proposing to downlist beach layia, a succulent herb, from endangered to threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This proposed downlisting is based on the best available scientific and commercial information, which indicates that the species no longer meets the definition of endangered. Click here to read: http://ow.ly/VsEM50BFqvH Photo by David Imper / USFWS