New Mexico Nature Conservancy

06/04/2026

Why do some animals’ eyes seem to glow in the dark? It has to do with "eyeshine." Coyotes have a yellow eyeshine, a feature they share with bobcats, raccoons and great horned owls.

Learn more at nature.ly/3PMNC9A 🌒🐺

06/03/2026

06/03/2026

A serene moment at TNC's Rattlesnake Springs Preserve 🦋

Located adjacent to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Rattlesnake Springs Preserve is a cool, shady haven tucked into the desert. Towering cottonwoods and native hackberry trees line the water, while lush shrubs and seasonal blooms add color and soft, calming scents to the air—an immediate contrast to the surrounding arid terrain. Since 1984, TNC New Mexico has managed this visitor accessible property to protect water, wildlife and one of the region’s most important natural oases. Learn more and plan your next visit: nature.ly/4dQb1yY

📹: © Danielle Kagan

05/27/2026

New polling shows 82% of New Mexico voters strongly support conservation and protecting national parks, forests and other public lands that belong to all Americans—not private interests. New Mexicans are clear: these lands must be protected for current and future generations.

Learn more about the threats facing our public lands and how you can help at nature.org/publiclands.

05/25/2026

A 2025 trail cam near TNC’s Gila River Preserve captured a host of wildlife in the floodplain, including bears, turkeys, a fawn, a coati, bobcats, a coyote, a coues buck and a ringtail. These sightings reflect TNC’s ongoing work in the Valley and its management to restore the riparian corridor and wetlands, protecting habitat and ultimately improving biodiversity.

Learn more about Gila River Preserve, including visitation information at nature.ly/4jtJ8yR 🌈

🎥: © Jess DeMoss

05/21/2026

The Bureau of Reclamation began releasing water from Navajo Reservoir into the San Juan River today as part of our water-sharing agreement with the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission. In a year like we are having, this will put much-needed water into the Colorado River system to benefit both people and nature.

📸: © Roberto Rosales

05/14/2026

The results of the annual lesser prairie chicken survey are in! 📣🐥

This year, 313 chickens were counted at Milnesand Prairie Preserve — that's a 69% increase from 2025! The increase could be attributed to the strong monsoons last summer, and with another good monsoon season anticipated for this year, we're hopeful the population will only continue to grow.

📸: © Alan Eckert Photography

05/13/2026

Here's a hint for spotting a healthy grassland:
It weighs about a ton and leaves the prairie stronger in its wake. 🦬

Bison are back at TNC's Smoky Valley Ranch in Kansas, showing how conservation at landscape scale can restore ecosystems across the Southern High Plains.

Read the full story in the latest issue of Nature Conservancy magazine: https://nature.ly/4d01rJl

The Nature Conservancy in Kansas

05/13/2026

In 2022, TNC acquired Bartlett Mesa Ranch as part of a broader vision developed with the State of New Mexico and the City of Raton to create regional connectivity for hikers, wildlife watchers, and other outdoor enthusiasts—while supporting sustainable economic opportunities for nearby communities.

That vision expanded with the acquisition of Buck Ridge Ranch. Together, these two properties will help establish a large, contiguous block of publicly accessible conserved land spanning northeast New Mexico and southeast Colorado. The project also protects crucial habitat for native wildlife and an important portion of the City of Raton’s watershed. This work is part of TNC’s Southern High Plains Initiative, which aims to conserve grasslands across Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Learn more about the unique partnership in this New Mexico PBS segment: nature.ly/431rz1N

📸: © Brad Cory

05/07/2026

Global Big Day is happening this Saturday, May 9! Organized by eBird and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, it's an annual worldwide citizen-science effort to document bird populations via the eBird Mobile app.

New Mexico is a top birding destination, hosting a colorful array of species in its diverse landscapes. Celebrate Global Big Day and plan your next adventure at one of our three favorite bird hotspots: nature.ly/48KBZWY 🐦‍⬛🐥

📸: (1) Blue grosbeak © Dan Wiesz, (2) Wilson's warbler © Peter Warren/TNC, (3) Gray flycatcher © Cary Kerst, (4) Red-winged blackbird © Paul Berquist