The N.H. Fish and Game Department's Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, established in 1988,
is the steward for the state's nongame wildlife -- species not hunted,
fished or trapped. Through wildlife monitoring and management,
plus outreach and education, the Nongame Program works to protect
over 400 species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, as
well as thousands of insects and other invertebrates. The program works in cooperation with other New Hampshire wildlife agencies
and organizations to develop and implement effective conservation
strategies to protect and enhance this diverse group of wildlife.
Each year, the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program must raise
$50,000 through private contributions to meet a matching grant from
the state to help fund the program. That means your contribution toward this annual goal is matched dollar for dollar!
2008 marks an important milestone for the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, as we celebrate 20 years of protecting nongame, threatened and endangered wildlife and their habitats in New Hampshire. In our first 20 years, the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program has not only worked to protect listed species, but has experienced groundbreaking success! A few highlights:
Bald Eagles Removed From Federal Endangered Species List
One of the most high-profile achievements of the past 20 years occurred on August 9, 2007, when Bald Eagles were removed from the Federal list of threatened and Endangered Species. By 1963, bald eagle populations had been decimated across the country, primarily because of the use of the pesticide DDT. At that time there were only about 400 pairs of eagles struggling to survive across the country.
Today, there are approximately 10,000 pairs of bald eagles nationwide. This rebound was made possible because of the ban on the use of DDT and habitat protection efforts put forth to conserve nesting and feeding sites in every state throughout the U.S., including those here in NH.
First-Ever N.H. Wildlife Action Plan Created and Implemented
The most significant accomplishment of the Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program's first 20 years was the creation and implementation of the first-ever New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan.
This Plan was mandated and funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It takes a proactive approach, identifying the wildlife species and habitats in greatest need of conservation in New Hampshire, and the steps that are needed to conserve these natural resources before they become more rare and more costly to protect.
The N.H. Wildlife Action Plan provides land use planners with conservation tools and strategies to identify significant wildlife habitat and natural resources in every community throughout the state and to maintain species and habitats of conservation concern statewide.
All 50 states were required to complete Wildlife Action Plans. An independent review conducted by the Defenders of Wildlife voted the N.H. Wildlife Action Plan as one of the 12 best in the nation. Together, the state Wildlife Action Plans provide a roadmap for conservation nationwide and will help ensure wildlife and wild places remain for future generations.
A male Karner blue butterfly.
Karner Blue Butterflies Return to the Wild
Tiny Karner blue butterflies, the official State Butterfly and an endangered species, were once gone from New Hampshire because much of their habitat was lost to development and what remained was overgrown and unsuitable for their survival. However, thanks to dedicated habitat management and species restoration efforts, these beautiful, delicate, butterflies are once again surviving in the wild of the Concord Pine Barrens!
Common, Roseate and Arctic Terns Rebound at the Isles of Shoals!
Historically the Isles of Shoals supported the most significant tern colony in NH. However, the colony was completely abandoned by 1955 because of an increase in gulls which preyed on the tern eggs and young, and a lack of humans present on the islands to deter the gulls.
In 1997 a cooperative effort was initiated to bring the state endangered common terns, Roseate terns (state and federally endangered) and Arctic terns (state threatened) back to the Isles of shoals. Today, through ongoing monitoring and management, The Isles of Shoals support the largest tern colony in the gulf of Maine with over 2,500 nesting pairs of terns including all three species!
These accomplishments would not have been possible without the dedicated work of our conservation partners and the continued generosity of our financial supporters. Please join us in celebrating not only how far we have come, but ensuring that this work
continues. Your contributions help to buy equipment for
field work and allow us to conduct vital research and sustain
ongoing
wildlife monitoring programs. With
your support, we will be able to continue our efforts to protect
New
Hampshire's nongame wildlife. Thank you
for caring about New Hampshire's nongame wildlife! Click
here for a print-and-mail donation form.
Nongame Program in Action: Guided by the state's Wildlife Action Plan, Nongame Program projects are helping to protect and conserve threatened and endangered wildlife throughout New Hampshire.
A hungry osprey chick... the osprey
is one of many fascinating species being studied and protected
through the nongame and
endangered species program.
Nongame program supervisor John Kanter and plover monitor Suzanne Conrad
construct a exclosure to protect piping plover nesting areas at Seabrook beach.
Fish and Game Nongame Program staff and volunteers
build a bat shed in Cornish, N.H., where they were relocated from the Town Hall.Photo: Jon Charpentier.
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