Good Habitat

What’s the most important thing for me to know about wildlife?

Good Habitat Is the Key to Wildlife Survival

Without good habitat, there can be no wildlife. Washington has over 44 million acres of land…but much of it is changing rapidly. Today, there are more than six million people living in our state, and we are the most crowded western state after California.

Even though each habitat has a fixed carrying capacity, habitat still can be improved. By increasing the food supply, adding water, or adding cover, the carrying capacity of the land can increase. Better habitat and increased carrying capacity mean more wildlife for all of us to enjoy.

Habitat protection is an important job of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. One way to protect valuable wildlife habitat is to buy land and create refuges for animals to rest, breed, and feed. Another way to protect wildlife habitat is to develop or administer rules and regulations so that habitat is not destroyed. The Department of Fish and Wildlife only owns and/or controls 750,000 acres of land across the state. Most of the habitat in Washington—more than 43 million acres—belongs to somebody else. Most of this land is privately owned. Both private and public landowners pay the cost of providing wildlife habitat, and their concern and support for wildlife help make it possible for you to hunt. Without their valuable land, wildlife would have very little habitat in our state.

If we are to enjoy wildlife now and in the future, we need your support. Good wildlife management is more than studying biology and creating rules and regulations. Help protect habitat and wildlife across the state! The Department of Fish and Wildlife must manage people, wildlife, and habitat. We need your help to be successful.

Wildlife Management = Managing People + Wildlife + Habitat