No. 1330, January 1, 2026

Say No to Polluting PFAS Pesticides

PFAS chemicals — otherwise known as “forever” chemicals, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances — are disturbingly persistent. They can build up in our bodies, contaminate water sources, and break down into a smaller chemical called trifluoracetic acid — which is considered one of the world's most pervasive water pollutants and threatens aquatic and semiaquatic life, including endangered Houston toads.

Despite these risks the Trump administration has approved multiple PFAS-containing pesticides. These forever pesticides will treat massive swaths of corn, soy, fruits, and vegetables, resulting in polluted water and public health risks that last for generations.

Now led by former chemical industry lobbyists, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is trying to rapidly approve more PFAS pesticides — all while concealing their unacceptable harms.

Tell the EPA loud and clear: Stop approving forever pesticides that hurt people, wildlife, and the environment.

Trump Guts Sage Grouse Safeguards in Eight States

The Trump administration just announced revised plans that will strip protections from imperiled greater sage grouse on about 50 million acres of federal public lands across the West.

Male sage grouse gather every spring to strut their stuff in riveting mating rituals — but the species’ numbers are dwindling. Instead of protecting sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act, in 2015 federal officials reworked land-management plans to limit (though not ban) extractive activities in their habitat. Now President Donald Trump’s revised plans would scrap many of those safeguards.

“We’re not letting these dancing birds go extinct without a fight, so we’ll see Trump in court,” said Randi Spivak, the Center’s public lands policy director.

Start the year right with a gift to our Future for the Wild Fund.

Texas Wildlife Wins Reprieve From Killing

In response to a Center suit, the notorious federal program known as Wildlife Services has agreed to update its analysis of the effects of its wildlife killing in Texas to consider new information on threats to mountain lions and black bears.

While preparing its study, the program will be largely banned from chasing mountain lions with packs of hounds and using certain kinds of vicious traps and snares that can kill black bears.

“This victory will bring relief to the fragile mountain lion and black bear populations that call Texas home,” said Center attorney Tala DiBenedetto. “The government shouldn’t be throwing away money to slaughter Texas’s iconic carnivores.”

Legal Gain for Guam Wildlife

Thanks to a lawsuit by the Center and local group Prutehi Guåhan, a federal court has ordered the U.S. Navy to stop withholding information on how its activities in Guam could hurt endangered species and cultural resources.

One of the world’s most militarized places, Guam is home to imperiled species found nowhere else — including ababang, aka Mariana eight-spot butterflies. The Navy has largely ignored its commitments to protect these butterflies from its operations in their last habitat. Now it must share details we need to make sure it’s complying with the Endangered Species Act across this beautiful, sensitive island.

Center Op-Ed: How to Really Help U.S. Farming

Under Trump the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been spinning itself as a savior of farmers and food security, writes the Center’s Stephanie Feldstein in a new Newsweek opinion piece, but in fact it's a profound threat to both.

Despite touting its allegedly regenerative “Farmers First” program last month, the administration has slashed programs letting schools buy food from local farms; killed the Climate-Smart Commodities program; tanked crop exports by over $40 billion with its tariffs; eliminated staff working to protect soil and water; and terrified and deported crucial workers.

If the USDA truly wants to support a healthy and resilient food system, Stephanie has some suggestions.

Revelator: Best Articles, Commentary of 2025

Last year the Center’s news and ideas initiative, The Revelator, published tons of fascinating, informative journalism and commentary articles. We couldn’t share them all here as they came out — but lucky for you, the publication’s editor has gathered all his favorites to share now. They cover everything from giraffes and extreme weather to parasite conservation and how nature advocates like you can dodge burnout.

Read The Revelator’s best reporting and best commentaries of 2025.

And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to its free weekly e-newsletter for more wildlife and conservation news in 2026.

That’s Wild: Bee Optimism Is Contagious

Researchers in China have been studying behavior inside bumblebee nests — specifically buff-tailed bumblebee nests — to understand how these social insects’ moods might influence each other.

In a study involving training with sugar rewards and colors, they found that bees’ lively movements after receiving a reward quickly transferred a positive expectation to other bees who observed those movements. The observer bees would then approach possible (but uncertain) rewards with greater confidence.

And it only happened when the bees could see each other.

Said one of the scientists: “Realizing that bees could be indirectly influenced by another bee’s positive state, without any shared food or explicit cues, was both unexpected and very exciting for the team.”

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Photo credits: Houston toad by Paige Najvar/USFWS; greater sage grouse courtesy Intermountain Forest Service/USDA; black bear by Jane Gamble/NPS, mountain lion Dan Stahler/NPS; Mariana eight-spot butterfly by Pierre-Louis Stenger/iNaturalist; farming by Michael Cuff/NPS; sunset by Thomas Fryatt/Unsplash; bumblebee by Tom Koerner/USFWS.

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