OutdoorNebraska

2022 Wildlife Newsletter-for web

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2022 Newsletter from the Nebraska Wildlife Conservation Fund You can make the difference Remember our wildlife and the wild places that we want future generations to enjoy. Make sure to "check" for wildlife on your state tax return. Look for the peregrine falcon symbol and donate all or a portion of your tax refund to the Wildlife Conservation Fund. You can also donate throughout the year by calling (402) 471-0641 or online at NebraskaWildlifeFund .com All donations are fully tax deductible. and WILD PLACES SAVING WILDLIFE American Burying Beetle By Jen Corman, Northern Prairies Land Trust Biologist Nebraska Conservation and Monitoring T he American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus, ABB) is North America's largest carrion beetle. It is also an efficient recycler and a devoted parent. Its fascinating life cycle is linked to other plant and animal species, which makes the ABB a good target for habitat restoration and population monitoring. T h e A m e r i c a n burying beetle benefits ecosystems by recycling nutrients from animal carcasses, mostly small to medium-sized mammals and birds. During their brood-rearing season in July, a pair of ABB will bury a carcass underground and lay eggs nearby. Then, the parents stay to protect their young and feed them from the carcass. Unfortunately, this striking orange and black beetle has disappeared from 90% of its historic range across 35 states and is now only known to occur in nine states, including Ohio after its recent reintroduction. ABB is listed as a federally threatened species. Nebraska is lucky to have one of the highest concentrations of ABB in the world. The ABB is one of the at-risk species the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and its partners consider when designing wildlife habitat improvement projects. Those projects aim to restore ecosystems that support a diversity of wildlife through practices like invasive eastern redcedar removal, woodland thinning, Continued on page 2 An American burying beetle captured during surveys. ALISON LUDWIG

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