NMDGF Conservation News
The latest conservation news and press releases from New Mexico Game and Fish. Department-wide news can be found under Home → NMDGF News.
Helping Wildlife in Southeastern New Mexico
Following is a selected project highlight from the Share with Wildlife mission to assist all New Mexico wildlife in need, no matter what species. Helping Wildlife in Southeastern New Mexico Contact information for Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center updated 8/24/21. Do you live in southeastern New Mexico? Do you want to know what you can do if you find a bird or other animal that appears to be sick or injured? If you live in the Carlsbad area or Chaves, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, or Otero Counties, then the Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (DWWRC) is the place to call to get your questions about injured or orphaned wildlife answered and the place to bring these animals if Center staff so advises. Wildlife ambassador, Mr. Peabody the pelican. (Ginny Seamster) The Center is located at 516 E. Fiesta in Carlsbad and has highly skilled staff and enclosures for housing [...]
Furbearer rule changes topic of public meetings
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, OCT. 1, 2019: Furbearer rule changes topic of public meetings SANTA FE - The Department of Game and Fish is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to the furbearer rule. To gather public comments, four public meetings will be conducted: Raton: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 215 York Canyon Rd, Raton. Roswell: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 1615 West College Boulevard, Roswell. Las Cruces: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 2715 Northrise Drive, Las Cruces. Albuquerque: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Department of Game and Fish office, 7816 Alamo Rd NW, Albuquerque. The proposals [...]
Share with Wildlife projects selected for 2020
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@dgf.nm.gov FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPT. 27, 2019: Share with Wildlife projects selected for 2020 SANTA FE – The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s Share with Wildlife program has selected 16 wildlife projects for funding starting in 2020. The Department’s Share with Wildlife program funds projects up to $50,000 in four categories: habitat enhancement, biological and ecological research studies, wildlife rehabilitation and wildlife education. For 2020, the program is supporting one habitat project, eight research projects, five education projects and both education and rehabilitation activities of two wildlife rehabilitation centers. The habitat project focuses on evaluating wether or not culverts and bridges are barriers to aquatic and riparian connectivity in the northern Jemez Mountains. The research projects are focusing on a variety of Species of Greatest Conservation Need, including the [...]
Native fish restoration activity planned for Whitewater Creek
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Public contact, Information Center: (888) 248-6866 Media contact, Tristanna Bickford: (505) 476-8027 tristanna.bickford@state.nm.us FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, SEPT. 13, 2019: Native fish restoration activity planned for Whitewater Creek SANTA FE – Native fish restoration efforts on Whitewater Creek are scheduled for Sept. 25 – Oct. 3, 2019. As part of the Whitewater Creek Native Fish Restoration Project, the Department will remove non-native trout from Whitewater Creek to allow restoration of Gila trout and other native fish to their native range. This portion of the project starts at the intersection of the Gold Dust Trail (FS Trail #41) with Whitewater Creek and continues upstream to the headwaters. The closure does not affect the Catwalk National Recreation Area. The Department will apply rotenone based products - CFT Legumine®, 5% rotenone and Prentox® Rotenone Fish Toxicant Powder™ - to the stream to remove non-native salmonids. The Environmental [...]
Can Restoration Work Spread Disease?
Following is a selected project highlight from the Share with Wildlife mission to assist all New Mexico wildlife in need, no matter what species. Can Restoration Work Spread Disease? There are many habitat restoration and improvement projects done around New Mexico each year, including in riparian areas along our state’s rivers. These projects sometimes entail the use of plants grown in nurseries, especially in instances where naturally growing plants within reasonable transport distance of the study area aren’t sufficiently abundant to support collection of plant materials from the field. There are some river drainages that are home to rare amphibians, and other species, that would potentially be negatively impacted if a novel pathogen or pathogen variety were to be introduced to their habitat during a habitat restoration project. For example, many species of amphibian are vulnerable to the effects of chytrid fungus and many aquatic vertebrate species, including fish, reptiles, [...]