FIRE BAN IN EFFECT In response to the continued elevated risk of wildfires, DEM has issued a fire ban at all State Parks, campgrounds, and management areas until further notice. The ban is effective as of today (10/28/24) and includes campfires in designated campfire areas, including charcoal fires and cooking fires. This preventative measure applies to all DEM-managed lands and aims to reduce the threat of human-caused wildfires. DEM will continue to monitor and evaluate conditions to determine when the ban can be lifted. Together we can protect our communities and keep first responders safe by reducing the risk of wildfires: 📞 Call 911 if you spot a fire/smoke. Timely information is critical to contain fires before they spread. 🔥 Remember, any outdoor fire is a potential source for a wildfire. Be careful with cigarettes and ashes. When disposing of wood stove ashes, put the ashes in a metal bucket of water. 🚒 Check with your local fire department for any other restrictions and permitting information. 🚨 Stay informed and find resources at dem.ri.gov/wildfirestatus.
Conservation & Research The Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) shares management responsibility for more than 60,000 acres of land distributed across 15 towns and all counties and is responsible for managing thousands of species of wildlife, including freshwater species. The division serves a wide and diverse segment of the public, from outdoor recreationists ― such as hunters, hikers, mountain bikers, and wildlife watchers ― to the general public and municipalities concerned with nuisance wildlife. The DFW is primarily funded through the Federal Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) Program, administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). There are over 9,000 licensed hunters in Rhode Island, whose license revenue is used to match the federal funds. Annual appropriations for WSFR’s State Wildlife Grants (SWG) Program provide an additional, smaller, yet less restricted pot of money that can be put toward the conservation of all Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) as identified in the RI Wildlife Action Plan. WSFR funding is used to monitor populations of the state’s deer, turkey, waterfowl, and other game animals, as well as to maintain hunting areas and provide a shooting range for the public at the Great Swamp Management Area. This funding also assists in land acquisition for the DFW, helping to secure valuable habitats for wildlife, both game and non-game species, in perpetuity. In addition to wildlife research and monitoring programs that include migratory birds, New England Cottontails, and predator species like bobcats and coyotes, the Division also spearheads projects that expand hunting and fishing opportunities in Rhode Island. Wildlife Action Plan (WAP) The Rhode Island Pollinator Atlas Printed Publications WILD RI Journal Wild RI Explorer Magazine Amphibians of Rhode Island Dragonflies and Damselflies of Rhode Island Inland Fishes of Rhode Island The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Rhode Island Reptiles of Rhode Island Wildlife Resources Wildlife FAQs Wildlife Factsheets Report Wildlife Observations Wildlife Rehabilitators List Rules & Regulations Applications & Forms Wildlife Reports Animal-Proof Your Home Additional Reports DFW Wildlife Section Annual Reports Wildlife Section, Annual Report 2019 PDF file, about 19mbmegabytes Wildlife Section, Annual Report 2020 PDF file, about 16mbmegabytes Wildlife Section, Annual Report 2021 PDF file, about 24mbmegabytes Wildlife Section, Overview of Programs & Responsibilities PDF file, about 42mbmegabytes Wildlife Section, Annual Report 2023 PDF file, about 22mbmegabytes Furbearer Program Furbearer Harvest Report 2023-2024 PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Trapping in Rhode Island PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Where Do You Stand on Hunting and Trapping PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Pheasant Program Summaries 2023–2024 Pheasant Program Summary PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes 2022-23 Pheasant Program Summary PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Pheasant Stocking Program (2021-22 Season) PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Small Game Small Game Hunter Harvest Report 2014-2015 PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Program Summaries DFW Deer Summary Reports White-Tailed Deer Harvest Information 2017-2018 PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Harvest Information 2018-2019 PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Harvest Information 2019-2020 PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Harvest Information 2020-2021 PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Harvest Information 2021-2022 PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Harvest Information 2022-2023 PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Harvest Information 2023-2024 PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes White-Tailed Deer Hunter Survey 2023-2024 PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Wild Turkey Program Summaries 2023 Wild Turkey Program Summary PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes 2022 Wild Turkey Program Summary PDF file, about 3mbmegabytes 2021 Wild Turkey Program Summary PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Wood Duck Box Program Summaries Wood Duck Box Program Summary (2022 Season) PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Rules and Regulations Guidance RI Reptile and Amphibian Rules and Regulations Factsheet PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Relocating Wildlife Is Prohibited In Rhode Island PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Rabies Protocol Manual PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Surveillance PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Plan (Deer Hunters) PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) - Quick Reference for RI Hunters PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Eastern Chronic Wasting Disease Endemic States and Border Counties PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Chronic Wasting Disease Regulation Summary PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Additional Reports Bowhunter Sighting Log Summary PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Diseases Affecting Wetland Wildlife and How To Properly Sanitize Gear to Protect Wetland Wildlife PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Five Reasons Why Feeding Waterfowl is Harmful PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Wildlife Publications DEM News Releases Print Publications Amphibians of RI Dragonflies and Damselflies of RI Inland Fishes of RI The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Rhode Island WILD Rhode Island Journal WILD Rhode Island Explorer Magazine Volunteer Newsletter A Natural Community Classification of RI Additional Publications Wildlife Surveys Report Wildilfe Guide for Reporting Herp Sighting PDF file, about 3mbmegabytes Report Wild Turkey Brood Guide PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Reporting Deer Observations PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Bee Observer Submision Guide PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Survey Results Survey Results: Rhode Island Hunters' Sentiment Toward Hunting and Wildlife Management PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes 2022 Wild Turkey Program Summary PDF file, about 3mbmegabytes 2021 Wild Turkey Program Summary PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes 2023 Wild Turkey Program Summary PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes RI Wildlife Factsheets DFW Wildlife Factsheets Ringneck Pheasant Factsheet PDF file, about 993kbkilobytes American Woodcock PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Beavers of Rhode Island PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Bobcat PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Butterflies of Rhode Island PDF file, about 3mbmegabytes Canada Geese PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Eastern Coyote PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Factsheet: American Black Bears PDF file, about 1006kbkilobytes Factsheet: Bats PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Fisher PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Flower Flies of Rhode Island PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Foxes in Rhode Island PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Frogs & Toads of Rhode Island PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Mute Swans PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Osprey PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Porcupine PDF file, about 3mbmegabytes Rabbits PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Raccoon PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Raptor Nests on Manmade Structures: Conflicts and Resolutions PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Reducing Deer Damage in Your Garden PDF file, about 6mbmegabytes River Herring PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Salamander PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Shrews PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Skunk PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Snakes of Rhode Island PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Solving Problems with Backyard Wildlife PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Squirrel & Chipmunks PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Turtles of Rhode Island PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Virginia Opossums PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Vultures PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes White-tailed Deer PDF file, about 1mbmegabytes Wild Bees of Rhode Island PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Wild Turkey PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Wood Duck PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes Woodchucks PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes
Printed Publications WILD RI Journal Wild RI Explorer Magazine Amphibians of Rhode Island Dragonflies and Damselflies of Rhode Island Inland Fishes of Rhode Island The Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Rhode Island Reptiles of Rhode Island
Wildlife Resources Wildlife FAQs Wildlife Factsheets Report Wildlife Observations Wildlife Rehabilitators List Rules & Regulations Applications & Forms
Diseases Affecting Wetland Wildlife and How To Properly Sanitize Gear to Protect Wetland Wildlife PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes
Survey Results: Rhode Island Hunters' Sentiment Toward Hunting and Wildlife Management PDF file, about 2mbmegabytes