How to Find Information About a Specific Species on fws.gov

Go to fws.gov and use the site's species search to look up a plant, fish, or wildlife species by name. The species search is the fastest path to a profile page, and from there you can branch into conservation status, related refuges or hatcheries, and the programs working on that species. This works for anyone researching a species for a school project, planning a trip around wildlife viewing, or checking the status of a species you've heard about.

Starting With the Species Search

The homepage includes a search field labeled for species, alongside a separate general site search. Use the species search when you already know the common name of what you're looking for.

1. Open fws.gov.
2. Locate the species search field (the homepage presents it as a dedicated search option separate from the general site search).
3. Enter the species name and run the search.
4. Open the species profile from the results.

The expected result is a profile page for that species. The Service describes its scope as conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats, so profiles cover plants and fish as well as familiar wildlife.

If You Don't Know the Exact Name

If you're unsure of the common name, try the general site search instead, or browse by category. The site organizes content around species conservation, so a broader term (for example, a group of animals rather than one species) can surface a hub page that links to individual profiles.

What a Species Profile Connects To

A species page is a starting point, not an endpoint. From a profile you can typically reach:

• Conservation status and efforts — what the Service and its partners are doing, and how the species is faring.
• Refuges and hatcheries — the places managed for that species or where it can be found. The site lists 570+ wildlife refuges and 70+ fish hatcheries across 50+ states and territories, and species pages connect to these locations.
• Related programs — including work on aquatic nuisance species (also called aquatic invasive species), which the Service flags as one of the most significant threats to U.S. waters.

This connection matters if your real question is "where can I see this species?" rather than "what is this species?" Start at the species profile, then follow the location links.

Finding a Place to See a Species

If your goal is a visit rather than research, work in the other direction:

1. Use the location search to find a refuge or fish hatchery by name, state, or territory. The state selector covers all states plus territories including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
2. Open the location page.
3. Check which species are associated with that location.

For example, Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma is described as preserving about 60,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie, granite mountains, and freshwater lakes and streams, and is best known for bison, longhorn, and Rocky Mountain elk. Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, the first national wildlife refuge, covers 5,400+ acres of protected waters and lands. A location page tells you what you might actually see there.

Common Sticking Points

• Two different searches. The species search and the general site search serve different purposes. If a species name returns nothing useful in one, try the other.
• Common vs. scientific names. If a common name doesn't return a match, try an alternate common name or the scientific name.
• Species vs. location pages. A species profile answers "what is this and how is it protected"; a refuge or hatchery page answers "where do I go." Decide which question you're actually asking before you start.
• Licenses and passes are separate. Buying a hunting license, fishing license, or pass, or applying for a permit, are distinct services on the site and not part of species research. If your visit requires one of these, handle it separately from your species search.

A Quick Decision Guide

The species search is the entry point for almost every species question on fws.gov. Once you're on a profile, follow the links outward to conservation programs and to the refuges and hatcheries where that species lives.