migration

Tony Mong has captured video collar and other visual data that tells more about mule deer migration and the challenges they face navigating rugged terrain and development in the Cody area.

New maps from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) show the migration routes of several big game herds across the West.

Last winter’s deaths of thousands of Wyoming pronghorn increased interest in “conservation leases.” But where wildlife advocates see hope, energy and ranching interests fear an attack on the “Western way of life.”

While bald eagles are one of the biggest conservation success stories in the United States, golden eagle populations continue to struggle in the West as they face increasing threats from energy development, lead poisoning, and habitat loss. Wyoming is a key nesting area for the species – which is where a new, free online tool called RaptorMapper comes into play.

A film called “Animal Trails: Rediscovering Grand Teton Migrations” highlights how mule deer and pronghorn travel from Grand Teton National Park to winter ranges across Idaho, Wyoming, and the Wind River Reservation. It documents how the animals depend on habitats almost 200 miles away from the park’s boundaries.

Big game herds can travel hundreds of miles between their summer and winter ranges. That means they often cross neighborhoods, highways and fences – hazards that could increase as the Mountain West faces further development pressures.

Laramie endured extreme weather events in 2020 and 2021, but researchers have been unable to accurately track small migratory songbirds to see how they are being affected. Recently, researchers from the University of Wyoming began using a new tracking device to learn more about small songbird migration patterns.

The Pew Charitable Trusts published a report calling on policy-makers and landowners to help animals migrate across the West. That report also highlights the latest science on animals like mule deer, elk, and pronghorn.

Wyoming researchers show that utility-scale solar developments can directly and indirectly affect habitat and create movement barriers for ungulates such as deer, elk and pronghorn.

As the West grows so does its infrastructure, but for elk, deer and other migrating big game, roads and housing developments are barriers. A new U.S. Geological Survey report details these migration routes to help ensure they persist.