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The article discusses the environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing or fracking and the concern it gives to sportsmen and women. It cites studies that indicate increased methane levels in groundwater wells near fracking sites in New York and Pennsylvania. It states that the Sportsmen Alliance for Marcellus Conservation does not oppose natural gas extraction through fracking, but worries the current practices could affect wildlife and opportunities for fishing, hunting and trapping.

The article discusses the role played by zoos in wildlife conservation. It cites as an example, the successful breeding of black-footed ferrets in captivity, which until 1981 were thought to be extinct. It also discusses the importance of research on zoo animals, education of zoo visitors and direct support of field conservation projects.

The article discusses the threats to the pillars of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. It states that while the Model states that wildlife cannot be owned by any individual, many animals, such as white-tailed deer, are confined in private game farms. It mentions that if the Model wants to retain its relevance over the coming decades, wildlife professionals and hunters should focus on all wildlife harvest practices and eliminate those which are unethical or illegal.

The article discusses some of the challenges in wildlife education as well as the innovative solutions to these challenges. Among these challenges are the increase in the number of wildlife students coming from cities and suburbs, state university budget cuts, use of technologies involved in wildlife research, and communication gap between students, employers and the public. Suggested solutions are distance learning, hands-on learning inside and outside the classroom, livelier teaching, language skill-building and promoting professionalism.

The article focuses on disaster response management for wildlife professionals. Various natural disasters such as floods, earthquake, drought and wildfires have occurred in various parts of the world. However, there is little scientific research about how wildlife professionals should prepare for and respond to such crises. Some tips for effective crisis management are offered, including obtaining a safety clearance for designated safe zones in a disaster area, searching systematically, and practicing triage of injured animals.

The article presents information on the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. The forest reserve is recommended as perfect for a weekend getaway and a longer backpacking expedition. It is known as Little Egypt due to the similarities of the riparian areas to the Nile Delta. It is noted that glaciers played an important role in the unique geology of the forest reserve, which does not resemble the flat-as-a-pancake fields of central and northern Illinois.

The article reports on the move of several U.S. states to seek revenue for wildlife conservation. Minnesota voted to pass the Minnesota Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment to increase sales tax for wildlife preservation. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation pledged more than 1.4 million U.S. dollars to aid the Department of Fish and Wildlife in Kentucky to restore elk to the state. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries launched an apprentice hunting license to allow people to hunt without undergoing hunter safety course.

The article discusses the complexity of managing wolf populations due to the difficulty of reconciling different value systems and opinions regarding their conservation. Part of the difficulty lies in the increasing human population which are threatened by wolf attacks, or livestock owners who want wolves wiped out completely. It also speculates that wolves are habituating toward humans and that people will eventually consider them less threatening than they thought. It says that wolves are relatively safer than bears or cougars.

The article discusses the negative impact of climate change on wildlife worldwide. The continuation of warm weather has dried up the host plants that is essential to the survival of Edith's checkerspot butterflies in Mexico. The population of the American pikas in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains continue to decline because of their vulnerability to hot temperature. The golden toad that is found in the forests of Monteverde, Costa Rica has been listed as extinct.

The article presents information on rampant inbreeding which can put panthers, cheetahs and other endangered species at increased risk from parasites and infections, a new study suggests. Now conservation biologist Richard Frankham of Macquarie University in North Ryde, Australia, has revisited the idea. Compared to the genetically diverse flies, fewer flies in the inbred groups survived the bacterial infection, and those that did laid fewer eggs. Richard Frankham says his experiments closely mirror the natural situation in which relatively small populations of endangered species become steadily more inbred. And the results imply that endangered species risk being trapped in a downward spiral of inbreeding: inbred animals would succumb more frequently to infection, leaving fewer individuals with which to breed, leading to even more inbred and susceptible animals.

The article features John Robinson, an ornithologist from the U.S. He has worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Forest Service as a biologist. His book, "Birding for Everyone," which he wrote in 2008, explains the reasons why minorities are underrepresented in the outdoors, such as issues of cultural tradition and socioeconomics. Robinson also talks about the appeal of bird watching.

The article discusses the outcomes of a study conducted by Shane Gabor and colleagues which assessed the threats posed by the disappearance of wetlands to the duck populations in Canada. The researchers analyzed the amount of land area being drained in the area of the Broughton's Creek in Manitoba and found that around 70 percent of wetlands have degraded or disappeared from 1968 to 2010. They agreed that this trend increased the impurities in the cultivated lands in the country that came from contaminants and fertilizers.

The article discusses the State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) wherein an initial 150,000 acres of U.S. land are available for restoring vital habitat for wildlife of special concern. In order to implement land management practices that help conserve natural resources, the program offers agricultural landowners payment for their efforts. To take advantage of the incentive offered by the SAFE program, the landowner should register his U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) designated arable land with the local Farm Service Agency (FSA) .

The article focuses on grant programs for Native American students offered by The Wildlife Society (TWS). The Native American Travel Grant Program was launched in 2006 to help students attend the Annual Conference of TWS. The Native American Professional Development Program provides financial support and a one-year membership in TWS and the Native People's Wildlife Management Working Group. The benefits of attending the conference include the opportunity to connect with professionals and career advancement.

The article features Richard Heilbrun, an urban wildlife biologist for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). He states that he has never thought of hunting, until a co-worker at the Welder Wildlife Foundation near Sinton, Texas, took him hunting. He mentions that since then, he made a commitment to inspire others to hunt. He notes that his mission is to inform citizens about wildlife conservation.