wildlife groups

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday urging the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency failed to consider the project's potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy, opening a new front in debates over commercial use of orbit and light pollution.

Organizers of the '2026 Roadside Wildlife Count' project are recruiting volunteers to help tally wildlife observed along roadsides. The citizen-science effort invites members of the public to take part in monitoring animal populations, with NBC Bay Area publicizing the call for participants. Details on dates, locations and how to sign up are being shared through the project's organizers as interest builds ahead of the 2026 count.

State wildlife agencies are now accepting bids for trapping privileges at several wildlife management areas. The process allows licensed trappers to obtain access to designated public lands for the season. Trappers and outdoor groups are watching the bidding, which helps the state manage furbearer populations while generating revenue for conservation programs.

Four environmental groups in Montana have been placed under Congressional investigation, according to the Billings Gazette. The development is drawing attention amid ongoing national debates over the influence of environmental organizations on land, energy and wildlife policy. No further details about the grounds of the investigation or the groups involved have been reported.

The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission is set to take up a proposed reduction in the take of hen mallards and pintails during hunting seasons. The move would tighten limits on two duck species of concern among waterfowlers. Hunters and conservation groups are watching closely, as such changes directly affect bag limits and the state's popular duck hunting season.