Wildlife

Two doe in a field
Wildlife
Featured Topics
Opossum on outdoor table eating from a dish.
Wildlife Control Guidelines

Wildlife enriches our lives in many ways, but sometimes it can cause property damage or become a nuisance. Fortunately, you can resolve the majority of these conflicts on your property.

Missouri's Bluebirds

Missouri's state bird has a delightful song, a non-aggressive manner, and beneficial food habits. Find out more about this beautiful resident of our state. 

monarch butterfly
Attracting Monarch Butterflies

Help these threatened butterflies on their annual migrations by planting monarch-friendly plants in your garden or fields. 

Image of a feral hog
Learn More About Feral Hogs

Feral hogs are highly destructive and prolific pests. Feral hogs will eat nearly anything they come in contact with, including many species of native wildlife.

In This Section
Attracting Wildlife
Provide food, water, and cover to turn your property into a lively place full of fun-to-watch Missouri wildlife.
Nuisance and Problem Species
If you care about Missouri’s crops and wildlife, please do what you can to identify, prevent and control the spread of exotic invasive species.
Management Plans
Browse our strategic plans for managing Missouri's fish, forests, and wildlife.
Confined Wildlife Resources
The Missouri Department of Conservation and the Missouri Department of Agriculture are working with state’s wildlife breeding operations and hunting preserves to track and manage the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD).
Wildlife Facts
Learn about animal species commonly found in Missouri.
Report Wildlife Sightings
Black bears and feral hogs make their home in Missouri, and mountain lions are occasional visitors. Learn more about them, their tracks and field signs, and how to report sightings.
Invasive and Nuisance Species
Learn about Missouri’s most common invasive and nuisance species and what you can do if they become problems on your property.
Wildlife Restoration
Browse Missouri's wildlife restoration success stories.
Wildlife Diseases
Browse this section to learn about diseases that affect wildlife in Missouri and which ones can be harmful to humans and domestic animals.
Wildlife Health
The Missouri Department of Conservation is committed to detecting new and emerging wildlife health concerns and preventing and minimizing the impacts of wildlife diseases when possible.