Wildlife Program Highlights

Stephens' Kangaroo Rat eating something in a small hole

Unleashing the Science - BIL funding will benefit Stephens’ kangaroo rat and other species’ habitat in the California desert

The Department of the Interior recently announced a nearly $11 million dollar investment in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding for ecosystem restoration projects nationwide. The funding supports 29 landscape-scale restoration initiatives spanning 18 states. Some of these projects are managed by the BLM California Desert District, aimed at rehabilitating delicate ecosystems on BLM-managed lands.

How to Catch a Leopard Lizard

The blunt-nosed leopard lizard is the poster child for the San Joaquin desert grassland habitat. This fast running lizard that can leap more than 23 inches to escape predators and catch prey! As an Endangered Species, scientists are actively working to put the blunt-nosed leopard lizard on the path to recovery. The timing the 2012-2014 drought facilitated a study by the BLM, University of California, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and The Nature Conservancy to assess the potential effects of climate change on blunt-nosed leopard lizard.