The National Wildlife Refuge System provides critical habitats for some of our country’s most endangered species.
Scroll to explore the stories of 3 animals who exist because of the wildlife refuges they call home.
How We Help Wildlife Thrive
Hi! It’s so nice to meet you!
I’m a piping plover, a shorebird you might’ve seen hopping around near lakes, rivers, or beaches in North America. My family and I love to travel, migrating from Canada to Colorado and beyond—it’s a big journey, but sticking together makes it worthwhile.
As we fly, we share stories, and one of our favorites is about the Great Lakes. You see, a long time ago, some of our family in the Great Lakes were in trouble. Their favorite habitats were disappearing due to human activity, and we were scared they’d never visit those special places again.
But then, some humans in funny brown hats—the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service—stepped in to help. They studied our family, protected our habitats, and worked hard to give us a chance. Thanks to their efforts, our Great Lakes family grew from just 12 nesting pairs in 1990 to 70 by 2014!
And now we get to keep flying back to places like Seney National Wildlife Refuge.
We piping plovers are so grateful to those humans and everyone who supports them. From the bottom of our tiny bird hearts, thank you!
If my family scurried past you, you might not even notice us.
You see – we’re mice. Salt-marsh harvest mice to be specific.
Things haven’t been easy for us little guys. Many places we call home have been lost from extreme changes to our ecosystems. In fact, we salt-marsh harvest mice are only found in the San Francisco Bay Estuary or in the Suisun Bay area.
Occasionally we see these humans in funny hats taking care of our habitat for us, they’re called the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Some of the mice in my family still worry about the future of our species. They ask: “What will happen if we lose this habitat too?”
But I like to remind them: “Even though we’re so small, those humans in funny hats work so hard every day to keep us safe.” We mice get to feel a little safer because of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
At Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge they’re creating habitat for my family and me and other animals who have lost their marshland habitats.
And that has to count for something.
I’m a Mississippi Sandhill Crane, and my family and I flap our way across the land in search of tasty snacks, cozy roosts, and the perfect place to spare some time with a special someone. The best nest stops for us are wet pine savannas—trust me, they’re especially stunning!
But each year, as we wing it back for another migration, we notice fewer and fewer savannas. In fact, only one remains!
Every time we glide into this last sanctuary and see that blue goose sign, we remember that the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge is our saving grace!
Thank you, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for keeping our journey soaring!