Washington, D.C. April 28, 2026 — With one in five species in the United States at risk of extinction, biodiversity loss and the fragmentation of natural habitats rank among the nation’s most urgent conservation challenges. 

On Earth Day, Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL) introduced the Wildlife Corridors and Habitat Connectivity Conservation Act, legislation aimed at safeguarding wildlife movement and strengthening habitat connectivity across the country.

Wildlife corridors—routes that connect fragmented habitats—are essential for species to migrate, access food and water, and adapt to shifting landscapes and climate conditions.

“From Florida panthers to pronghorn and monarch butterflies, wildlife need to move across the landscape to survive. Protecting wildlife corridors is one of the most important tools we have to address the biodiversity crisis, especially in the face of climate change,” said Susan Holmes, Executive Director of the Endangered Species Coalition. “By creating a national system of wildlife corridors, this bill will safeguard biodiversity and protect some of our most endangered species. We thank Representatives Beyer and Buchanan for their leadership in championing this critical effort.”

The legislation would:

Grant key federal agencies the authority to develop a National Wildlife Corridor System on federal public lands;
Improve coordination across federal agencies to identify and protect wildlife corridors;
Establish a publicly accessible Wildlife Corridor Database to support decision-making by states, tribes, federal agencies, and conservation partners.

The bill would incentivize corridor protection for a wide range of species, from migratory monarch butterflies to iconic western species like pronghorn and mule deer, as well as endangered species including the Florida panther, Mexican wolf, grizzly bear, California red-legged frog, and whooping crane.

Broad bipartisan support for wildlife corridor protection is growing nationwide. Dozens of states have passed wildlife corridor and crossing legislation, including Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, New Hampshire, and California. In 2026 alone, 19 states—including Florida, Kentucky, Utah, Louisiana, Nebraska, Idaho, and Minnesota—have introduced wildlife corridor legislation.