Animals

Animals We Study 

As the principal science arm of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), the USGS provides science to help the Nation achieve sustainable management and conservation of plants and animals. Healthy ecosystems contain a diversity of thriving animal populations which makes them more resistant and resilient to threats. Loss of animal species means a loss of biodiversity and thus healthy ecosystems. Declines in animal populations have been documented worldwide due to threats from climate change, disease, and habitat loss. Our scientists monitor at-risk species, identify how animals respond to climate change and habitat loss, and find solutions to address fish wildlife diseases. This information is used by federal, state, and tribal natural resource managers to make management decisions that support our Nation’s fish and wildlife now and into the future. Read on to learn about the animals we study.  

Threats to Animals

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Climate change, urbanization, habitat loss, the spread of invasive species – these and other threats pose a significant challenge to wildlife managers. Biological threats to animals like diseases and invasive species can spread through nature and cause an incredible ripple effect on humans. These threats are costly and endanger not only wildlife, but also livestock, agriculture, forestry, public health, water quality, and recreational resources that people rely on.  

Understanding, monitoring, and predicting threats to animals contributes to the USGS goal of providing science to support the protection, conservation, and enhancement of the Nation’s biodiversity. USGS scientists study how animal populations are responding to threats and help arm managers and the public with the information and tools they need to choose the most effective management strategies that will support species now and into the future. 

Invasive Species 

Every plant and animal species has a native habitat where it originated and is part of the natural community. When a species is introduced to a new habitat, it becomes a “non-native” species in that area. And if that non-native species is able to establish and grow in that new habitat, causing harm to the environment, economy, or humans, it becomes “invasive”. The estimated economic and health-related costs of invasive species in the U.S. have been reported at more than $21 billion annually and adversely affect every state in the country.  

The challenges that invasive species pose are innumerable. For example, invasive plants diminish the quality of fish and wildlife habitat, while invasive animals can spread diseases and compete with native animals for resources. USGS scientists study hundreds of invasive species, including invasive carp in the Mississippi River and its tributaries, Burmese pythons in the Everglades, and zebra and quagga mussels in the Great Lakes. Learn more>>

Disease & Contaminants 

The effects of diseases, pathogens, contaminants, and toxins are global and profound, often resulting in economic and agricultural impacts, declines in wildlife populations, and ecological disturbance. Through a One Health lens, the USGS works to advance wildlife health science for the benefit of animals, humans, and the environment. We research solutions to address the deadliest wildlife diseases, detect disease-causing pathogens, and monitor the presence of dangerous chemicals and toxins in the environment that can harm people and wildlife. Learn more>> 

Ecosystem Change  

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Change is a natural part of healthy ecosystems. For example, periodic, low-intensity wildfires clear dead brush and help encourage new plant growth. However, in some cases ecosystems are pushed toward irreversible transformations. Threats like climate change, land use change, and the spread of invasive species affect how ecosystems function, which in turn has consequences for the animals, plants, and human communities that rely on them. For example, in the West, climate change is contributing to a longer wildfire season. Fires clear the way for the spread of invasive plants, like cheatgrass, resulting in less good quality habitat and food available for native wildlife like the greater sage-grouse. To make matters worse, cheatgrass is highly flammable and perpetuates cycles of more frequent, intense fires.  

This is just one example of how multiple threats to ecosystems – climate change, fire, and invasive species – interact and compound to alter ecosystems and ultimately harm wildlife. USGS scientists study the impacts of these and other threats to ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them, make predictions about how ecosystems will look in the future and what this means for wildlife, and provide science to inform ecosystem restoration and wildlife conservation. Learn more>> 

Species at Risk

As a result of threats such as the spread of invasive species, disease, and climate and land use change, some animal species are in decline or in danger of extinction, and may have specific protections at the federal and state levels. The USGS provides federal and state fish and wildlife managers, and other conservation organizations with scientific information to support conservation decisions for at-risk species. Through monitoring the populations of declining species, USGS science is providing critical information on the status and health of wildlife populations.

Population Monitoring 

USGS scientists collect data by going out in the field to survey wildlife or collect remotely sensed data using special detectors such as cameras and satellites. Whether we’re putting GPS collars on caribou to track their migrations, evaluating satellite imagery to see where Pacific walruses are resting on the Arctic coastline, or banding birds to track their behavior, lifespans, and health, USGS scientists are collecting the data needed to make informed management decisions for our Nation’s wildlife.  

On Land  

• Grizzly bears: As participants in the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, USGS scientists have been monitoring grizzly bears in Yellowstone for over 40 years—contributing to what is perhaps the largest collection of scientific information on any bear species in the world. Learn more>> 

• Caribou: Arctic caribou have the longest land migrations of any animal on Earth. How will caribou populations and migration patterns be impacted by changes in climate and energy development? USGS scientists are monitoring caribou in northern Alaska to answer these questions and more. Learn more>> 

• Mule deer: Each spring and fall, mule deer and other hoofed mammals migrate throughout the western U.S. to avoid deep snow and access nutritious forage. USGS scientists use GPS collars to track where mule deer migrate, creating maps of deer migration routes that support conservation planning. Learn more>> 

• Sage-grouse: Greater sage-grouse populations have declined significantly over the last 60 years. USGS scientists are estimating population trends for this Great Basin game bird to inform conservation decisions. Learn more>>  

• Amphibians: The U.S. is losing approximately 4% of its amphibian populations each year. Climate change is one of many drivers of amphibian die-offs. USGS scientists are monitoring amphibians on public lands and determining factors that may be causing population declines. Learn more>> 

• Desert tortoise: The threatened desert tortoise has inhabited the Southwest for millions of years. USGS scientists are investigating how changes in southwestern deserts, such as larger and more frequent wildfires, are affecting the species. Learn more>> 

In Water  

• Polar bears: USGS leads long-term research on polar bears to inform policy and conservation decisions for the species and its Arctic habitat. Scientists are studying two populations in Alaska to understand how rapidly warming temperatures affect polar bear movement, denning, population size, and health. Learn more>> 
• Pacific walrus: The Pacific walrus has a wide geographic distribution, which makes it difficult to know just how many there are. However, advances in genetics and drone technology have allowed USGS scientists to develop more precise estimates. Keeping tabs on walrus numbers is especially important as they continue to experience a loss of sea ice habitat. Learn more>> 
• Sea Turtles: Six species of sea turtles—all protected by the Endangered Species Act—call U.S. waters home. USGS scientists are studying sea turtle habitat use, movements, and more, in the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, and Caribbean. Learn more>>
• Sea Otters: These hand-holding marine mammals, found along the North Pacific coast, were decimated by the 18^th and 19^th century fur trade. Today, populations are continuing to recover and USGS scientists are studying the factors that affect sea otter population trends. Learn more>>
• Manatees: The Florida manatee was one of the first species listed as endangered when the Endangered Species Act went into effect in 1973. For the last 40 years, USGS scientists have been committed to understanding the biology and ecology of manatees to help managers identify actions that can help this majestic species thrive. Learn more>> 
• Salmon: The Yukon River hosts some of the largest migrating salmon stocks in the world, with some fish migrating over 1,800 miles to reach their spawning grounds in the Yukon and British Columbia. But the Yukon River chinook salmon have been in decline since the 1990s, and the pace of this decline has recently accelerated. USGS scientists are exploring whether heat stress is the cause. Learn more>> 
• Atlantic sturgeon: Atlantic sturgeon have been around for at least 70 million years, but populations have been depleted due to overfishing, unintentional deaths caused by commercial vessels and fishing, and habitat loss. USGS scientists are using genetics to help estimate the number of sturgeon in certain spawning runs and to better understand their migratory routes. Learn more>> 
• Corals: Coral reefs cover less than 0.5% of the earth's surface but are home to an estimated 25% of all marine species. USGS scientists map, monitor, and model coral reefs to better understand how we can protect these incredibly important ecosystems. Learn more>>
• Stoneflies: The threatened meltwater stonefly and glacier stonefly are restricted to short sections of cold streams fed by disappearing glaciers and permanent snowfields in Glacier National Park. USGS scientists are investigating the impacts of glacier and snow loss on the distribution, abundance, and genetic diversity of these cryptic critters. Learn more>>

In the Sky  

• Birds: The USGS provides information on the status of North America’s bird species through two important programs – the Bird Banding Laboratory and the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Together, these initiatives support effective bird science, management, and conservation across the continent.   
• Bats: Bats save us big bucks by gobbling up insects that damage and kill crops, and pollinating hundreds of plant species. But these agile flyers also face unprecedented threats including habitat loss, disease, and climate change. USGS scientists monitor bat populations across North America to document population changes, estimate extinction risk, set conservation priorities, and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation actions. Learn more>> 
• Monarch butterflies: Over the last two decades, the Eastern migratory population of monarch butterflies has declined by 80%. The USGS leads the Monarch Conservation Science Partnership, which helps identify target population sizes, create conservation plants, and monitor the state of monarchs in North America. Learn more>> 
• Western bumble bees: The western bumble bee was once common across North America, but since 1998 has undergone a drastic decline, and is currently being considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. USGS scientists used data from 1998-2020 and found that increasing temperatures, drought, and pesticide are to blame. Learn more>> 

Featured Tools & Techniques 

Across the USGS, our scientists are developing decision-support tools and technologies to monitor and assess risks to animals. We develop advanced technologies such as remote sensing, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and genetic tools to assess the status, behaviors, and health of wildlife populations. From mapping mule deer migrations in the West to monitoring the distribution of monarchs in North America, explore the latest and greatest tools and techniques we’re using to develop a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of our Nation’s wildlife. 

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