Where Montana Lands In A New National Wildlife Conservation Study

Montana as you know is pretty darn rural. We have tons of both public and private lands and two of the most well known national parks in the country. With all that land comes a whole lot of critters. Those animals are one of the things that make Montana so unique. From wide open plains to mountain ranges and river bottoms, wildlife is part of everyday life here. A lot of conservation effort goes into protecting that way of life, but how does Montana actually rank compared to the other 49 states?

Across the country, the U.S. is home to an incredible mix of wildlife, with more than 21,000 native plant and animal species calling it home. Unfortunately, over 1,600 of them are now endangered or threatened. On top of that, more than 6,500 invasive species are muscling in, crowding out native animals and throwing ecosystems out of balance. When you factor in ongoing land development, pollution, and shifting weather patterns, it is easy to see why protecting wildlife has become such a big priority.

A recent study by SmileHub set out to compare how each state stacks up when it comes to wildlife protection. The analysis looked at 17 different metrics, ranging from government and community support to legal protections and overall ecosystem health. Things like the number of animal charities per capita, endangered species laws, and how wildlife is managed all played a role in the final rankings.

Montana ranked 11th overall, which is a strong showing considering how much land and wildlife the state manages. Even more impressive, Montana ranked 3rd in the nation for wildlife grant dollars per capita. That means on a per-person basis, Montana invests heavily in protecting animals and their habitats.

Get our free mobile app

While there is always room for improvement, these rankings show that Montana is doing a lot right. Wildlife is a defining part of this state, and the continued support from agencies, organizations, and residents helps ensure future generations get to experience the same wild Montana we know today.