Conservation

Climate change could be taking a toll on the smallest creatures in the Mountain West. A new study finds insect populations in one mountain valley have plunged by more than 70% in recent decades. Scientists say this trend could shake the food chain in alpine areas across the region.

A new film in theaters today tells a story about the Colorado River we don’t often hear – that of the plants and animals that rely on its water. The film also incorporates Indigenous perspectives. The director of the film set out to make a vivid portrait of life in the Colorado River Basin.

The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies has tracked migrating birds at a banding station at Barr Lake State Park for decades to understand their annual life cycle and habits — before it's too late.

A group of researchers at CSU are celebrating a decade of raising a herd of genetically pure bison. Those bison have been transferred over the years to tribes and wildlife organizations around the West.

It’s not easy to spot fireflies on Colorado’s Front Range. Development and pesticide use have destroyed much of their habitat. But scientists at the Butterfly Pavilion hope to change that. We hear about a project that aims to bring fireflies back to the night sky.

Each year, the Butterfly Pavilion works with citizen butterfly observers to track the state’s butterfly populations. And the data they’ve collected shows that butterflies are declining in Colorado.

A group of researchers at CSU are celebrating a decade of raising a herd of genetically pure bison. Those bison have been transferred over the years to tribes and wildlife organizations around the West. We hear from the researcher who’s been leading this project and raising the herd.

Rattlecam, a camera used by researchers and available to the public, is live streaming again. The camera is near a mega den that is home to as many as 2,000 snakes.

The annual Mountain Plover Festival happens this weekend in Karval. The festival celebrates the bird sometimes called the “prairie ghost."

Environmentalists decried the move, but some in the timber industry say this could boost the economy and prevent fires.