Help our rare and endangered wildlife
There are nearly 160 Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Indiana that need your help. Habitat management and conservation programs for these species are supported through the generosity of Hoosiers who donate to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. No state tax dollars are used to manage these species.
In 2022, the Nongame Wildlife Fund turned 40 and celebrated by sharing 40 stories of conservation successes. These successes were made possible through the generosity of donors, partners and volunteers. As we look toward the future, please consider donating $40 to help us write our next 40 stories. For every $40 you give, fish and wildlife will benefit from an additional $74 in federal funds!
Every donation can make a difference to Indiana's nongame and endangered fish and wildlife. Recent projects include research on endangered gray bats, surveys of rare marshbirds, and restoring populations of endangered freshwater mussels. Learn more about the Rare & Endangered Wildlife Program by following our Instagram and subscribing to our e-newsletters.
Ornithology
2024 Project Update
The DNR ornithology team worked with partners at Market Tower in downtown Indianapolis to rebuild an active peregrine falcon nest box on site. Since 1995, this location has assisted peregrine falcon parents in raising 88 chicks.
Mammalogy
2024 Project Update
2024 marked the launch of a multi-partner effort including DNR, The Nature Conservancy, Purdue Fort Wayne, Delta Waterfowl, and South Dakota Game Fish & Parks to return Franklin’s ground squirrels to their native range. Video credit to Justin Moore.
Herpetology
2024 Project Update
The Sycamore Land Trust (SLT) restored an agricultural property to its former glory as a wetland. SLT and DNR partnered on this restoration and discovered the habitat was suitable for the state-endangered Kirtland’s snake in the process. Since then, the team has placed coverboards across the habitat to encourage the snakes to use the space and has monitored their usage by the snakes.
Aquatics
2024 Project Update
DNR’s aquatic biologists are working to restore snuffbox mussels in the Tippecanoe River. This species reproduces by releasing glochidia into the water, and the glochidia then attach to the gills of log perch to grow until they can survive independently. To improve reproduction rates, the team collects log perch, infects them with glochidia, and allows the baby mussels to grow in a safe environment before returning them to open waters.