Wildlife Of Israel

A Summer of Wildlife Restoration in Jerusalem

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Summer 2026 is proving to be an important season for wildlife conservation at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

Nine Persian fallow deer have been released into the wild. Hundreds of tadpoles from one of the world’s rarest amphibians have hatched. Griffon vulture eggs collected from nesting sites across Israel are part of an intensive effort to strengthen the country’s population of these great birds.

And much of this work is now connected through the Shai Doron Nature Conservation Center, which has opened in the zoo’s iconic Noah’s Ark building.

While summer visitors are enjoying camps, animal encounters, behind-the-scenes tours and other activities at the zoo and Gottesman Family Israel Aquarium, an important conservation story is unfolding behind the scenes.

For an institution whose identity has long been connected to the wildlife of the Bible and the Holy Land, summer 2026 is offering fresh evidence that those connections are about more than remembering the past.

The goal is helping wildlife survive into the future.

Nine Deer Return to the Wild

One of the biggest developments this summer involves an animal Higher Calling Wildlife readers have encountered before.

After delays caused by the war, nine Persian fallow deer were successfully released into the Nahal Dolev Nature Reserve.

According to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, the release helped increase the estimated wild population in the Judean Hills to approximately 110 animals.

That geographic distinction is important. The figure refers specifically to the Judean Hills population, not the total number of Persian fallow deer living in the wild across Israel.

It’s an encouraging summer update to one of Israel’s most remarkable wildlife restoration stories.

Higher Calling Wildlife recently took readers inside the history and conservation work behind this extraordinary comeback in Restoring Eden’s Deer, our in-depth look at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo’s Persian fallow deer restoration project.

The nine animals released this year represent the next chapter rather than a retelling of that story.

Each successful release moves the project farther from its beginnings in captive conservation and closer toward its ultimate objective: a thriving wild population.

Seeing Persian fallow deer living once again in the Judean Hills would have been almost unimaginable when the species’ future was hanging by a thread.

Today, the work continues one animal at a time.

A Summer Boost for Griffon Vultures

Another major conservation effort underway in 2026 is taking place at the National Incubation Center for Birds of Prey.

The zoo reports that 28 griffon vulture eggs arrived from nesting sites across Israel, with 16 determined to be fertile. Chicks that hatch will be placed with carefully selected foster pairs by the Israel Nature and Parks Authority as part of the national recovery program.

It is conservation at its most hands-on.

Wildlife restoration is often associated with enormous landscapes, habitat protection and animals being released into wilderness. Sometimes, however, the future of a species can depend upon something as fragile as an egg and the people with the knowledge to give the life inside it its best opportunity to survive.

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo has been involved in griffon vulture conservation for nearly three decades. Its work includes breeding birds, incubating eggs and helping raise young vultures for eventual release into the wild.

The challenges facing the birds are significant. Poisoning, collisions and electrocution involving power infrastructure, habitat loss and human disturbance have all contributed to their decline.

The summer 2026 eggs are therefore part of a much larger effort to keep these impressive scavengers in Israel’s skies.

300 Reasons for Hope

The smallest animals involved in the zoo’s summer conservation news might represent the most extraordinary development of all.

Approximately 300 Hula painted frog tadpoles have hatched at the zoo’s conservation breeding center after months of research and breeding efforts.

That number becomes even more impressive when you consider the history of the Hula painted frog.

The species was last observed in the wild in 1955 and was officially declared extinct by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1996. Then, in November 2011, a Hula painted frog was discovered in the Hula Valley.

A species the world believed it had lost was alive.

But rediscovering an animal and securing its future are two very different things.

The frog remains critically endangered and survives in only a handful of wetlands and waterways in the Hula Valley. The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, working closely with the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, established an ex situ conservation program designed to create a backup population and increase scientific understanding of the animal.

Now summer 2026 brings an encouraging development in that effort.

Hundreds of tadpoles are alive at the conservation breeding center.

For an animal that disappeared from scientific observation for more than half a century, successful reproduction on this scale represents an important step.

Rediscovering an animal believed extinct is extraordinary.

Helping make sure it doesn’t disappear again is the harder task.

This summer, there are approximately 300 tiny reasons for hope.

New Life at the Zoo and Aquarium

Summer 2026 has brought other notable births and reproductive milestones as well.

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo celebrated the birth of its first Bornean orangutan baby. Thirteen-year-old Suga and 19-year-old Ito welcomed a male named Chahaya, a name meaning “halo” or “light” in Indonesian.

Bornean orangutans are critically endangered, making the birth important beyond its obvious appeal to zoo visitors.

The Jerusalem Zoo’s orangutans participate in the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria breeding program, which carefully manages breeding according to factors including genetics and age to help maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population.

According to the zoo, only one Bornean orangutan infant was born in European zoos last year, adding significance to Chahaya’s arrival.

There has been significant news underwater as well.

At the Gottesman Family Israel Aquarium, golden dogfish sharks laid eggs in the Mediterranean Sea exhibit for the first time in the aquarium’s history.

Often called “mermaid’s purses,” the egg cases are attached to a rope within the exhibit where visitors can observe them.

For families visiting this summer, that creates an unusual opportunity to see a part of the shark life cycle most people will never encounter in the wild.

A Summer of Restoration

There is something especially fitting about this work taking place at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, an institution whose conservation mission includes restoring endangered native wildlife—including species that had disappeared from Israel—to the country’s natural landscapes.

But summer 2026 is about much more than looking backward.

The Persian fallow deer released into the Nahal Dolev Nature Reserve are part of a living restoration story unfolding in the Judean Hills. The griffon vulture work represents an effort to keep one of the region’s great birds soaring overhead. And perhaps most remarkably, hundreds of Hula painted frog tadpoles offer new hope for a species once believed to have vanished forever.

Those are significant victories, but conservation is rarely finished with a single release, successful hatch or breeding season. Each represents another step in work that can stretch across decades.

That makes the opening of the Shai Doron Nature Conservation Center in the zoo’s iconic Noah’s Ark building particularly appropriate.

The biblical ark represents preservation in the face of tremendous loss. The conservation work underway in Jerusalem during the summer of 2026 carries a modern echo of that idea—protecting wildlife while there is still time and, whenever possible, returning animals to the wild landscapes where they belong.

This summer, those efforts can be measured in very different ways: nine deer stepping back into the wild, developing vulture eggs carrying the possibility of future birds in Israel’s skies, and hundreds of tiny tadpoles from a species once written off as extinct.

For the Persian fallow deer roaming the Judean Hills and the Hula painted frogs beginning a new generation in Jerusalem, restoration is no longer just an aspiration.

It is happening now

Chester Moore

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Hogs

The Polecat: A Cat That’s Not A Cat At All

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If you spend enough time around old-school outdoorsmen, sooner or later you will hear somebody call a skunk a “polecat.”

But the plains spotted skunk is neither a polecat in the Old World sense nor anything remotely related to a cat. It is a true skunk—and one of the most interesting and increasingly difficult-to-find little predators on the American landscape.

Now the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is taking another look at its future.

The Service announced in July that it completed a 90-day finding on a petition seeking protection for the plains spotted skunk under the Endangered Species Act. The finding does not mean the animal has been listed as threatened or endangered. It means the petition contained enough substantial new information to warrant a more extensive 12-month status review.

USFWS Photo

That distinction is important.

In 2023, the USFWS determined that federal listing was not warranted based on the scientific and commercial information available at the time. According to the new finding, however, more recent information suggests plains spotted skunks may occupy a smaller distribution than previously believed or exist at very low numbers across portions of the Great Plains.

That was enough to reopen the question.

Not Your Typical Skunk

Most people who have spent time in the country know the striped skunk. They are relatively common, readily show up around roads, farms and rural neighborhoods, and occasionally announce their presence without ever being seen.

Spotted skunks are different.

They are considerably smaller and more slender than the familiar striped skunk. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department information describes spotted skunks as the smallest skunks, with males typically weighing less than two pounds and females around a pound. Their black-and-white pattern is also far more complex than the broad stripes of the common striped skunk.

Striped skunk (Photo by Faith Moore)

They are also famous for one of the strangest defensive displays in North American wildlife.

When threatened, spotted skunks can rise onto their front feet into an almost handstand-like position, pointing their hindquarters toward the threat before deploying the chemical defense that makes the skunk family famous.

Spotted skunk (Public Domain Photo)

Seeing one is memorable.

I have been fortunate enough to see a spotted skunk in the Texas Hill Country, and it was one of those wildlife encounters that immediately stood out. I have seen plenty of striped skunks over the years. A spotted skunk is something different altogether.

Where Are They Going?

The plains spotted skunk currently occurs in portions of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Texas Parks and Wildlife includes the plains spotted skunk among the state’s Species of Greatest Conservation Need. It is not currently federally or state listed in Texas, but its state conservation rank reflects significant concern over its status.

And that is what makes the new federal review worth watching.

The question isn’t whether spotted skunks have completely disappeared from the Great Plains. They haven’t. The question is how many remain, how widely they are distributed and whether their populations have declined enough to require federal protection.

During the 12-month review, USFWS will evaluate threats and consider the best available scientific and commercial information. Ultimately, the Service can determine that listing is warranted, not warranted, or warranted but precluded by higher-priority listing actions.

The agency is also requesting information from researchers, wildlife agencies and the public that could help establish a clearer picture of the species’ status.

A Little Predator Worth Watching

Big predators get most of the attention in wildlife conservation.

Wolves, bears and mountain lions generate headlines. A little black-and-white carnivore weighing a pound or two can disappear from parts of its range with far less public notice.

That doesn’t make the story less important.

The plains spotted skunk is part of the incredible diversity of predators native to America’s grasslands, woodlands and rural landscapes. It is a reminder that some of our most fascinating wildlife can live practically under our noses while remaining almost completely unseen.

The federal review should help answer an important question: Is the plains spotted skunk simply difficult to detect, or are there truly far fewer of them than there used to be?

For those of us fortunate enough to have encountered one, there is no mistaking how different these little “polecats” are from the striped skunks we commonly see.

And despite the nickname, there isn’t a cat involved at all.

The plains spotted skunk is simply one of America’s smallest, strangest and increasingly mysterious native carnivores.

Chester Moore

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Dark Outdoors

A Genetic Weapon Against the Screwworm?

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The New World screwworm is usually discussed as a livestock threat, but wildlife has plenty at stake. The parasite’s larvae invade wounds and feed on living tissue, meaning deer, wild sheep and other warm-blooded wildlife can become hosts without anyone knowing an animal is infected until it is too late.

We’ve already seen how serious that can become. During the 2016 outbreak in the Florida Keys, endangered Key deer suffered significant losses. Now, with screwworm once again a threat in the United States, an intriguing question is emerging: Could genetics eventually help fight it?

That’s the subject of my latest Dark Outdoors podcast, where I speak with Matt James of Colossal Biosciences about genetic technology and its potential role in combating New World screwworm.

Listen to the full conversation:

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Fighting a Fly With Biology

There is already a remarkable biological component to screwworm control. The sterile insect technique helped eradicate New World screwworm from the United States in 1966 by releasing huge numbers of sterilized male flies. When wild females mate with them, they produce no viable offspring.

Today, scientists are looking at whether genetics could take that concept further. USDA has developed NovoFly™, a genetically engineered screwworm strain designed to improve production of males for sterile insect releases. Researchers are also examining more advanced concepts that could potentially interfere with screwworm reproduction.

That doesn’t mean genetically engineered flies are going to replace established eradication methods tomorrow. Any technology capable of affecting a wild population deserves serious scientific and ecological scrutiny.

But the possibilities are fascinating.

A Wildlife Conservation Question

For wildlife, screwworm presents challenges that livestock producers don’t face. Ranchers can inspect cattle and treat wounds. Nobody is checking every whitetail buck injured during the rut or every wild sheep ram wounded while fighting.

That becomes especially concerning with threatened or endangered populations. Losing a relatively small number of animals can have consequences when the entire population is already limited.

Genetic technology is increasingly becoming part of the conservation conversation, from preserving endangered wildlife genetics to potentially using biotechnology against the parasites threatening them.

Could the next major advance in protecting wildlife come not only from what we do on the landscape, but from what scientists develop in the laboratory?

That’s the question Matt James and I explore on the award-winning Dark Outdoors® podcast.

For more stories on dangerous wildlife, emerging threats, strange encounters and the darker side of the natural world, visit the Dark Outdoors blog.

Chester Moore

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Mysterious Wildlife

The Dire Wolf May Change Science. The Red Wolf Could Change Conservation

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When Colossal Biosciences announced the birth of three genetically engineered wolves carrying key characteristics of the extinct dire wolf, the reaction was immediate. News outlets around the world proclaimed the return of an Ice Age predator that disappeared more than 10,000 years ago. Whether these animals represent true de-extinction or highly modified gray wolves remains the subject of scientific debate, but the announcement accomplished something few conservation stories ever do—it captured the world’s attention.

After spending time researching the project and interviewing Matt James, Chief Animal Officer of Colossal Biosciences and Executive Director of the Colossal Foundation, I found myself thinking less about the dire wolf and more about another wolf whose future remains uncertain. While the dire wolf may dominate headlines, I believe the real conservation story centers on the critically endangered red wolf and how technologies developed through de-extinction research could ultimately help preserve living species rather than simply recreate extinct ones.

Listen to the Dark Outdoors Podcast

I explore this topic in much greater detail in Dark Outdoors Podcast | Episode 079, examining the science behind the dire wolf project, the discovery of Galveston’s Ghost Wolves, and what these developments could mean for the future of wildlife conservation. I talk directly with Matt James of Colossal Bioscience.

🎧 Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1GW6xYdf0ER4D1SiVQLR2M?si=wVRYZaqbQmySCb7wYsIiIQ

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https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/about-dire-wolves-de-extinction-and-the/id1630809603?i=1000780190301

More Than Bringing Back an Ice Age Predator

James emphasized throughout our conversation that Colossal’s mission extends far beyond recreating extinct animals. He views the dire wolf project as a demonstration of technologies that could someday prevent modern species from disappearing altogether.

“The big vision of Colossal Biosciences is simply to make extinction a thing of the past. The dire wolf project is proof of concept, but it’s also about creating tools that can prevent other animals from following the same fate.”

The project itself began with remarkably limited material—a 13,000-year-old tooth and a skull estimated to be more than 70,000 years old. From those ancient remains, researchers recovered dramatically more genetic information than had ever been available from the species.

“We got 500 times more data than we’d ever had on the dire wolf genome. That allowed us to identify the key areas that make a dire wolf unique, and then make those edits into the gray wolf genome.”

Rather than cloning an intact dire wolf, scientists used gray wolves as the genetic foundation and introduced carefully selected edits that produced animals expressing many of the characteristics associated with the extinct predator. James noted that restraint was intentional, with animal welfare guiding every step of the process.

“People ask, why not make 20,000 edits? But this is about welfare. We made 20 carefully chosen edits to get the core phenotypes while ensuring the animals’ health.”

Why the Red Wolf May Be the Bigger Story

While the dire wolf project understandably generated worldwide attention, it immediately reminded me of another story unfolding much closer to home. For years, I have investigated the mysterious canids now known as the Ghost Wolves of Galveston Island. Animals that many people assumed were simply coyotes turned out to carry significant red wolf ancestry, revealing that valuable genetics had persisted in the wild long after many believed they had disappeared.

That discovery has the potential to reshape red wolf conservation because today’s population descends from an extremely small founding group captured during the 1970s. Every red wolf alive today traces its ancestry to those few animals, leaving the species with limited genetic diversity.

James believes that represents one of the greatest challenges facing long-term recovery.

“There are about 250 animals in the captive breeding population, and they all came out of 14 animals. Only 12 of those ever bred, and really only about eight lines continue. That’s not a lot of diversity. We need to inject new diversity into that group if we’re going to see a robust recovery.”

The discovery of Ghost Wolves suggests that some of that lost diversity may still exist. According to James, Colossal has begun cloning selected animals from those Gulf Coast populations with the hope of preserving and eventually expanding valuable red wolf genetics.

“Despite a complete lack of management, those genes have survived. What we’re doing is starting to clone animals from that population to create a captive group. The idea is to enhance red wolf representation and reduce coyote integration, creating a tool the Fish and Wildlife Service could use.”

A New Chapter in Conservation

These developments represent more than an interesting scientific experiment. They signal the arrival of a new era in wildlife conservation, one in which cloning, gene editing, genomic sequencing, and reproductive technologies may become valuable additions to traditional conservation practices.

None of these innovations replace habitat protection, responsible wildlife management, or public support for conservation. Instead, they offer additional tools that could strengthen recovery efforts for species facing genetic bottlenecks or declining populations.

The ethical questions surrounding these technologies remain significant. Conservationists must consider where resources should be invested, how much human intervention is appropriate, and whether de-extinction should ever take precedence over protecting species that still survive in the wild. Those discussions are only beginning, but they are conversations the conservation community cannot afford to ignore.

For me, the greatest significance of the dire wolf project isn’t that it looks back toward an Ice Age predator. It’s that it points toward a future where the same technologies might help ensure animals like the red wolf never become extinct in the first place. The Ghost Wolves of the Texas coast remind us that nature often preserves hope in unexpected places, and modern genetics may finally provide the tools to unlock that potential.

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

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Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.

Zoo Views

The Fish That Made Me Feel Like a Kid Again

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I’ve bottle-fed mountain lion cubs, dived with sharks and photographed wild bighorn sheep in remote mountains. Covering wildlife for more than three decades has taken me to extraordinary places and introduced me to some of North America’s most fascinating animals.

Yet one of the most memorable wildlife experiences of my life came from a fish barely a foot long.

During a recent family trip to the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, I expected to enjoy the sharks, rays and other aquatic life. They were all impressive, but nothing prepared me for the Archerfish Habitat. It became the highlight of our visit and, surprisingly, one of the coolest captive wildlife experiences I’ve ever had.

That reaction surprised even me.

When I was a kid, I owned a set of Encyclopedia of the Animal World books that I treasured. I still have the complete collection today. One page fascinated me more than almost any other. It featured an illustration of an archerfish firing a jet of water at an insect perched above the surface. The idea seemed almost impossible. How could a fish accurately shoot water into the air, knock an insect from a branch and then race over to eat it?

I must have studied that page hundreds of times. Every time I flipped through those volumes, I’d stop at the archerfish illustration and imagine seeing one someday. Even after years spent photographing wildlife across North America, I had somehow never encountered a living archerfish. Seeing one in person at the aquarium felt like stepping back into childhood.

The demonstration showcased exactly what makes these fish legendary. A staff member held a target stick several feet above the water with small food items attached. Almost instantly, several archerfish positioned themselves beneath the target, carefully lining up their shots before firing narrow streams of water with startling force and precision. One by one, the food items fell into the water, where the successful marksman quickly claimed the reward.

The demonstration serves as enrichment for the fish while allowing visitors to witness one of nature’s most extraordinary hunting strategies in action. It also gives people an appreciation for a species that, despite its incredible abilities, remains largely unknown outside the aquarium world and among serious fish enthusiasts.

The aquarium employee could probably tell I was enjoying myself more than most adults. We started talking about wildlife, and then he smiled and handed me the target stick.

Suddenly, I wasn’t just watching the demonstration. I was part of it.

Holding the stick over the water, I watched the fish lock onto their targets before launching perfectly aimed streams that knocked the food loose almost every time. It was one of those rare moments that instantly transports you back to childhood, when simply seeing an animal do something extraordinary could make your entire day.

Ironically, despite all of the remarkable wildlife encounters I’ve experienced over the years, holding that target stick for a group of archerfish ranks near the top.

Part of what makes archerfish so fascinating is that they are unlike almost any other fish on Earth. Rather than inhabiting coral reefs or the open ocean, they live in mangrove forests, tidal estuaries, coastal lagoons and slow-moving rivers stretching from India and Sri Lanka across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia to Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. Several species make up the genus Toxotes, with the banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix) and largescale archerfish (Toxotes chatareus) among the best known.

Their world is one where forests meet the water. Many inhabit brackish estuaries where freshwater rivers mingle with the sea, while others venture well upstream into freshwater habitats. Mangrove roots create a maze of shadows and branches where insects, spiders, small crustaceans and even tiny lizards become potential prey. Instead of competing with other fish beneath the surface, archerfish evolved one of the most specialized hunting techniques in the animal kingdom by focusing on prey above the water.

An archerfish forms its “shot” by pressing its tongue against a groove in the roof of its mouth, creating a narrow, high-pressure jet of water. Larger individuals can knock prey from several feet above the surface, and exceptional shots approaching 10 feet have been documented. The stream isn’t simply a splash. It becomes increasingly concentrated as it travels, delivering enough force to dislodge insects clinging to leaves and branches.

The feat is even more remarkable because the fish are firing through two different mediums. Since light bends as it passes from air into water, the insect isn’t actually where it appears to be. Archerfish instinctively compensate for that optical distortion, making tiny adjustments before pulling the trigger. Scientists have also found they improve with experience, with younger fish becoming noticeably more accurate as they mature.

The hunt doesn’t end with a successful shot. Archerfish immediately predict where the falling prey will land and begin swimming toward that point before it even strikes the water. In schools, competition is fierce, and the fish that fires the winning shot still has to outrun its companions to collect the meal. It’s an elegant combination of vision, physics, instinct and split-second timing that has fascinated biologists for decades.

Archer fish have the ability to be incredibly accurate with their “spitting”.

Watching that behavior unfold just a few feet away gave me an appreciation no photograph, encyclopedia illustration or television documentary ever could. It was one of those reminders that some of nature’s greatest marvels aren’t the biggest animals or the fiercest predators. Sometimes they’re species that most people have never even heard of.

Experiences like this also remind me why great aquariums matter. At their best, they do far more than display animals behind glass. They connect people with wildlife they may never have the opportunity to encounter in nature and inspire curiosity that can last a lifetime. Every child who watched those archerfish firing at the target was seeing something they will probably never forget. Maybe one of them will grow up to become a fisheries biologist, conservationist or wildlife journalist because a remarkable little fish sparked a lifelong fascination.

I know exactly how that happens because it happened to me.

As we walked away from the exhibit, my camera full of photographs and my mind full of memories, I realized wildlife experiences aren’t always defined by the size of the animal or the remoteness of the destination. Sometimes they are measured by how completely they reconnect us with the wonder we felt as children.

For me, that wonder came full circle in St. Louis. After all these years, I finally met the fish that had fascinated me since childhood. Better yet, I got to hold the target while it demonstrated one of the most remarkable hunting techniques in the natural world.

The author is all smiles after feeding the archer fish.

If you ever find yourself in St. Louis, don’t rush past the Archerfish Habitat. Slow down, watch carefully and, if you’re lucky, you might even get the chance to hold the target yourself. It may just awaken the same sense of wonder it did for me.

To learn more about the aquarium or plan a visit, go to St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station. It is well worth the trip—not only for the archerfish, but for the chance to reconnect with the curiosity that first made many of us fall in love with wildlife.

Chester Moore

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Wildlife Of Israel

Restoring Eden’s Deer

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Inside the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo’s Persian Fallow Deer Restoration Project

By Chester Moore

For the Persian fallow deer, survival has never come easily.

Once common across parts of the ancient Middle East, this remarkable animal disappeared from Israel centuries ago and was eventually believed lost forever. Its rediscovery in Iran during the 1950s transformed what many thought was a story of extinction into one of hope. Since then, generations of conservationists have worked patiently to restore the species to the landscapes where it once belonged.

That work continues today.

Photo courtesy Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

Earlier this year, wildlife biologists prepared another carefully planned a release designed to strengthen Israel’s growing wild population of Persian fallow deer. The animals were healthy. Their release sites had been selected. Spring had arrived, bringing the lush vegetation that gives newly released deer their greatest opportunity to adapt to life in the wild.

Then the mission was delayed.

Military conflict disrupted GPS signals used to track the deer after their release, making it impossible for conservationists to reliably monitor the animals through their satellite collars. Rather than risk decades of painstaking conservation work, the team postponed the release until those systems could once again provide the information needed to safeguard the animals.

It was a powerful reminder that wildlife conservation does not happen apart from the rest of the world. Even the most carefully planned restoration efforts can be affected by events far beyond the control of the scientists, veterinarians and field biologists dedicated to protecting them.

Yet if the history of the Persian fallow deer teaches us anything, it is this: perseverance has always been the foundation of its remarkable comeback.

A Living Link to Biblical History

The Persian fallow deer is more than an endangered species. It represents a living connection to the biblical landscape and one of conservation’s most remarkable restoration stories.

“The beginning of this project is actually in the Bible,” said Dr. Shai Ben-Ami, Director of Development for the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. “

The Persian fallow deer was mentioned in the Bible as one of the pure animals.

Collared Persian fallow deer being released. (Photo courtesy Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)

That Biblical significance became one of the driving forces behind saving the species after a small population was rediscovered in Iran in 1955.

“This is one of the reasons why zoos and wildlife authorities really wanted to have this specific species,” Ben-Ami said.

“It was thought to be extinct until they discovered a small group in Iran in 1955.”

Instead of becoming another tragic chapter in extinction history, the Persian fallow deer suddenly represented something extraordinary—a second chance.

A Gift Worth More Than Cadillacs

Like many remarkable wildlife stories, the restoration of the Persian fallow deer almost sounds too unbelievable to be true.

Ben-Ami shared the remarkable story of how the project began.

The brother of the Shah of Iran visited Israel to hunt ibex. Grateful for the experience, he offered expensive gifts in return.

“They asked… he offered Cadillacs. He offered cars,” Ben-Ami said.

“They said, ‘We don’t need that. We really need a few Persian fallow deer from your group.'”

His answer was simple.

“‘You helped me. Let me help you.'”

That extraordinary gesture made it possible to begin building a breeding population, but events soon threatened to end the effort before it had truly begun.

A large Persian fallow deer buck. (Photo by Chester Moore)

As Iran moved toward the 1979 Iranian Revolution, conservationists realized the window to move the deer out of the country was rapidly closing. Four female Persian fallow deer were transported from the reserve where they had been protected toward Tehran. During the journey, several were found to be pregnant, providing an unexpected boost to the tiny founder population. Those females were later joined by two males from Germany, creating the nucleus of the breeding program that ultimately made the species’ return to Israel possible.

Looking back today, it is astonishing to realize how much depended on those six animals.

Entire wildlife restoration programs are often are remembered for the thousands of animals that eventually roam the landscape. What we sometimes forget is that many begin with only a handful of founders—and the determination of people who recognize that an opportunity to save a species may never come again.

Bringing a Biblical Species Home

The first releases into the wild began during the late 1980s. When the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo relocated to its current site, it embraced the project as one of its defining conservation missions.

In fact, the Persian fallow deer became so important to the institution that it replaced the lion as the zoo’s official logo—a symbol that restoring native wildlife had become central to the zoo’s identity.

The work was anything but simple.

Animals were released into suitable habitat in Israel’s Judean Hills, but wildlife managers soon encountered unexpected obstacles. Packs of free-ranging dogs entered protected areas and preyed upon some of the deer before the problem could be addressed. Like virtually every restoration project around the world, setbacks became part of the journey rather than the end of it.

Today, between 150 and 200 Persian fallow deer live in the wild in Israel, and additional releases are based not on arbitrary numbers but on science.

Fawns born in the wild are a sign of success. (Photo courtesy Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)

“We decide to release according to what is the need in the wild,” Ben-Ami explained. Researchers monitor births, survival and population trends before determining how many animals should be released each year.

That philosophy mirrors successful restoration projects throughout North America.

Desert bighorn sheep restoration in Texas has required decades of careful planning, habitat management and ongoing monitoring. American bison restoration has followed a similarly patient path. Wildlife conservation isn’t measured by the excitement of release day. It is measured years later, when animals born in the wild raise offspring of their own.

Desert bighorn released into Franklin Mountains of West Texas in 2024. (Photo by Chester Moore)

The Persian fallow deer has reached that point.

And yet another challenge remains largely invisible to the public.

“When you have such a small population, that’s a big problem,” Ben-Ami said of genetics. “We monitor the breeding… we send it to laboratories… and we work with the European zoo association… to make sure the genetics will be fine.”

For Ben-Ami and his colleagues, conservation does not end when an animal is released. It continues through careful genetic management, cooperation among zoological institutions and constant scientific evaluation to ensure the population remains healthy for generations to come.

Restoring What Was Lost

The Persian fallow deer may be the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo’s best-known conservation success, but it represents something much larger than the recovery of a single species. It reflects a philosophy that has shaped the institution for decades—one centered not simply on exhibiting wildlife, but on restoring it.

Around the world, many zoological institutions support conservation through grants, research partnerships and field projects. Those contributions are invaluable. Yet Ben-Ami believes the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo has carved out a unique role by becoming directly involved in bringing species back to the wild.

“We looked it up,” he said.

“We have more than five or six different projects of reintroduction, which is very unique even in the zoo world.”

The success of the Persian fallow deer restoration reflects a conservation philosophy that now reaches from mammals to birds and even amphibians, with each project sharing the same ultimate goal of returning native wildlife to the landscapes where it belongs.

One of the zoo’s most remarkable projects centers on a small amphibian few people outside Israel have ever heard of—the Hula painted frog.

For decades, the species was believed extinct.

Ben-Ami remembers leading visitors through the zoo years ago and explaining that the frog had disappeared forever.

“I used to sit down and tell people, ‘Oh, you know this frog… it got extinct already in the ’50s. So basically we lost this species.'”

Then, in 2011, everything changed.

“One day they discovered it,” he said.

“That was a huge day. It’s like they would discover brown bears in California all of a sudden after years that they were away.”

When conflict threatened the Hula Valley, a group of approximately 20 frogs was relocated to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo for safekeeping. The challenge facing zoo staff went far beyond simply caring for them. Because the species had effectively disappeared for decades, researchers knew remarkably little about its biology.

“We didn’t know anything about this animal. We didn’t know how big it should be. We didn’t know when they can start breeding. We didn’t know what they prefer to eat.”

The uncertainty only made the achievement more significant.

“We actually managed to breed them,” he said.

“We were the first in the world to breed this animal, and we are going to release them back into the wild.”

The same restoration philosophy extends into the skies above Israel.

Griffon vultures, among the region’s most important scavengers, continue to face enormous challenges from poisoning and illegal shooting in parts of the Middle East. To strengthen the population, the zoo has partnered with wildlife authorities to receive birds from Spain and other countries, conduct health evaluations behind the scenes and prepare them for release into the wild.

Griffon vulture (Photo courtesy Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)

The zoo has also worked to restore Eurasian otters, another species whose numbers have declined dramatically as wetlands disappeared and waterways changed. Although that project has encountered challenges, it reflects the same long-term commitment that defines every restoration effort—careful planning, scientific collaboration and the patience to continue even when success does not come quickly.

Taken together, these projects reveal an institution that views conservation not as a single achievement but as an ongoing responsibility.

Looking Beyond Today’s Successes

Even after decades of conservation victories, Ben-Ami is already looking toward what comes next.

Among his greatest hopes is expanding regional cooperation to restore species whose historic ranges extend far beyond modern political boundaries.

“My dream is the Arabian leopard,” he said.

“My goal… is to help have some kind of connection to help this very unique animal.”

Ben-Ami believes recent regional cooperation, including the opportunities created by the Abraham Accords, could eventually allow conservationists to work more closely across borders to protect and restore species that have always ignored political boundaries. That vision, he believes, is larger than any single institution or nation—it is about preserving a shared natural heritage for future generations.

Most people are not aware that there is a leopard species indigenous to the Middle East. (Public Domain Photo)

“This is the vision of a new Middle East,” Ben-Ami said.

“That’s how it should look—helping each other to bring animals back into the wild.”

Whether that vision becomes reality remains to be seen.

What cannot be questioned is what has already been accomplished.

A species once believed extinct now once again walks the hills of Israel.

An amphibian thought lost to history has been bred for the first time and is returning to its native wetlands.

Griffon vultures continue to soar because dedicated conservationists refused to give up.

Each project stands on its own, but together they tell a larger story—not simply about saving wildlife, but about restoring pieces of a natural world that many assumed were gone forever.

The Long Road Back

Earlier this year, the Persian fallow deer had to wait.

The delay was frustrating, but it also underscored an important truth. Wildlife restoration is rarely a straight path. It is shaped by unexpected obstacles, changing conditions and decisions that place long-term success ahead of short-term progress.

That lesson extends far beyond Israel.

Every successful conservation project from red wolves released in North Carolina to wood ducks restored along the Eastern seaboard has demanded extraordinary patience. The Persian fallow deer belongs among those great conservation stories, not simply because a species survived, but because generations of people refused to let its story end.

Red wolf. (Photo by Chester Moore)

The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo has become one of the world’s leading examples of that commitment.

Its work demonstrates that conservation is about more than protecting what remains. At its best, it is about restoring what has been lost and ensuring future generations inherit landscapes that are richer, healthier and more complete than the ones we found.

For the Persian fallow deer, that journey continues with every new fawn born in the wild, every carefully planned release and every scientist, veterinarian and wildlife professional who believes restoration is worth the effort.

A Persian fallow deer in the wild in Israel. (Photo courtesy Jerusalem Biblical Zoo)

The Persian fallow deer is no longer simply a survivor remembered in history or Scripture. It is once again part of Israel’s living landscape, raising young in the wild and reclaiming habitat where it disappeared centuries ago. That alone makes it one of the great wildlife restoration stories of our time.

For Dr. Ben-Ami and the team at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, however, the story has never been just about one deer. It is about believing that what has been lost is not always lost forever. Whether restoring griffon vultures to the skies, breeding a frog once believed extinct or returning Persian fallow deer to the forests, each project begins with the same conviction that careful stewardship, perseverance and hope can change the future.

Perhaps that’s why this story resonates far beyond the boundaries of a wildlife reserve or a zoological park. Throughout Scripture, we encounter a Creator who delights in life, who entrusts humanity with the care of creation and who specializes in restoration. The work taking place at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo offers a glimpse of that calling lived out in a tangible way through decades of patient, faithful work. One animal. One release. One generation at a time.

Today, the Persian fallow deer once again walks the hills of the Holy Land.

Chester Moore

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The Screwworm Map Everyone Should See

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As the New World screwworm continues its push northward in Texas, wildlife professionals, livestock producers, hunters and conservationists are understandably focused on where it might show up next. No one knows exactly how far this outbreak could spread, and predicting that would be irresponsible. But history gives us something valuable—a look at where this devastating parasite has gone before.

One of the most fascinating resources I’ve come across is a historical map published by Oklahoma State University Extension showing the migration of New World screwworm during the major 1951 outbreak. The map doesn’t depict today’s outbreak or attempt to forecast tomorrow’s. Instead, it illustrates where screwworms spread during that historic event, where they survived the winter of 1951-1952 and where they commonly overwintered during average years before eradication.

Looking at it today is impossible to ignore.

The light blue portion of the map covers a remarkable area of the southern United States, stretching from Southern California across Arizona, New Mexico and Texas before reaching into Oklahoma, Arkansas and parts of the Gulf Coast. In other words, history shows that under favorable conditions, screwworms were capable of expanding across a huge portion of the country. The darker shades represent areas where the flies actually survived the winter, allowing populations to persist into the following year without having to migrate north again.

That doesn’t mean those same areas will become infested in 2026. Weather patterns, surveillance efforts, livestock management and, most importantly, the sterile insect technique have dramatically changed the equation since the 1950s. Still, if we’re talking about a cone of possibility, this map deserves serious attention because it represents places that have historically supported screwworm populations.

As someone who has spent much of this year reporting on the screwworm situation, I immediately began thinking beyond livestock. Cattle understandably receive much of the attention because of the enormous economic consequences of an outbreak, but wildlife has just as much at stake. White-tailed deer, mule deer, desert bighorn sheep, elk, pronghorn and countless other mammals can all become hosts if they have an untreated wound.

It can impact any warm-blooded animal.

That is one reason wildlife agencies have become deeply involved in monitoring the current situation. A widespread screwworm outbreak wouldn’t simply affect agriculture. It could reshape wildlife management across large portions of the southern United States and northern Mexico.

Check out out interview about screwworm with legendary whitetail biologist Larry Weishuhn.

One of the encouraging aspects of this situation is that we are not fighting an unknown enemy. The United States successfully eradicated New World screwworm decades ago through one of the greatest insect control programs ever undertaken. Today’s response benefits from modern diagnostics, coordinated surveillance, sterile fly production, interstate cooperation and a wealth of scientific knowledge that simply didn’t exist during the 1951 outbreak.

Even so, history has value because it reminds us what this insect is capable of when conditions are favorable.

Too often, people view historical maps like this as either predictions or relics. They’re really neither. They’re reminders. They remind us why vigilance matters, why containment efforts deserve public support and why wildlife professionals, ranchers and government agencies are taking this outbreak so seriously.

When I look at this map, I don’t see a forecast.

I see a warning from history.

The areas shown here aren’t places that will necessarily be impacted in the months ahead. They are places that history tells us could be impacted if screwworm were ever allowed to gain the upper hand again.

Hopefully, we never allow that to happen.

Chester Moore

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The Buffalo That Almost Got Me: Why Yellowstone’s Latest Bison Attack Hit Close to Home

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The recent Yellowstone National Park bison attack that left a 65-year-old visitor with a femur broken in four places after being tossed into the air has captured national attention. According to reports, the man and his grandson were not intentionally harassing the animal, a reminder that while many wildlife incidents result from people getting far too close, nature doesn’t always follow our expectations.

That story immediately took me back to one of the most intense wildlife encounters I’ve ever experienced.

Photo by Chester Moore

Ironically, the huge bull bison in my recent Lamar Valley photograph was the very same animal from that encounter. Seeing him again brought back memories that have stayed with me ever since.

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding wildlife attacks is that every victim must have done something foolish. Certainly, many people ignore common sense around Yellowstone’s wildlife. Every year visitors crowd bison for selfies, approach calves, or underestimate just how fast these massive animals can move.

But the outdoors is still wild.

Sometimes you can do nearly everything right and still find yourself in a dangerous situation. Wild animals have minds of their own, especially during the rut, when mature bull bison can become extremely aggressive toward rivals and anything else they perceive as a threat.

My encounter was a reminder that no amount of outdoor experience should ever replace humility.

Here’s what happened.

As the sun rose over the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park, the silhouettes of American buffalo (bison) dotted the horizon.

Truly wild bison are a rare commodity, and seeing them in person is a powerful experience when you consider they were nearly driven to extinction just over a century ago.

While slowly driving through this incredible setting, a pair of beautiful pronghorn caught my attention.

I pulled over to take a few photos.

Another gentleman had stopped to do the same, and as we adjusted our camera lenses, his wife suddenly shouted from their truck.

“Bison!”

This was the mad bison! I came close to being a victim of bison attack that day. (Photo by Chester Moore)

Turning around, we found ourselves nearly eye to eye with a massive bull bison.

And he looked angry.

Really angry.

The whites of his eyes showed as he grunted from only about 15 feet away. At that distance, we were roughly half a second away from 1,500 pounds of fury.

We slowly and calmly backed away.

Thankfully, a couple of other bison crossed the road and caught his attention.

He immediately charged one of them, slamming into another mature bull. The younger animal fought back briefly before deciding retreat was the wiser option.

The big bull then rolled violently in the dirt, grunted, pawed the ground and bucked like a rodeo bronc.

Yes, this was the same bison that had quietly walked up behind us only moments earlier.

It was a powerful reminder of just how quickly these animals can change from seemingly calm to explosively aggressive.

Bison injure more people in Yellowstone than any other animal.

Many visitors look at them like oversized cattle grazing peacefully in a pasture because they’re accustomed to seeing people in the park.

That isn’t docility.

That’s confidence.

There’s a tremendous difference.

I understood the danger before this encounter. In fact, later on the trip I passed up what looked like an outstanding fishing hole in Lamar Valley because it was surrounded by large bulls, cows and calves.

Being caught between a mother bison, her calf and a trout stream is a terrible idea.

I found another place to fish.

The trout cooperated just fine.

As I sat later reflecting on the trip, I realized Yellowstone had once again offered more than beautiful scenery and wildlife photography. It had provided perspective.

Sometimes only time spent in truly wild places can do that.

This encounter also reinforced something I try to communicate through my writing and speaking: respect wildlife, keep your distance, and never assume an animal’s behavior will remain predictable simply because it has tolerated people before.

Wild places deserve our admiration—but they also deserve our respect.

I’m just thankful I’m writing about this encounter instead of having someone else write the headline for me.

“Wildlife Journalist Suffers Bison Attack” is one headline I hope never to read.

Chester Moore

Chester Moore

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Higher Calling Wildlife

Lamar Valley: The Greatest Wildlife Watching Destination in the Lower 48?

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I’ve spent a lot of time pursuing wildlife stories across North America.

From alligators in Louisiana swamps to desert bighorn sheep in the Southwest, from the marshes of the Texas coast to the high country of the Rocky Mountains, I’ve been blessed to witness some incredible things. I’ve spent years researching and documenting great white sharks, including encounters along the Pacific Coast and off Cape Cod. I’ve photographed wildlife in places ranging from remote mountain ranges to coastal ecosystems and have dedicated much of my life to telling the stories of wild animals and the people who care about them.

But if someone asked me where I’ve had the highest concentration of memorable wildlife encounters in the Lower 48, my answer would come without hesitation.

This bison almost trampled me while I was focused on something moving in the distance in the Lamar Valley.

Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park.

Known by many as the “Serengeti of North America,” Lamar Valley is located in Yellowstone’s northeast corner and follows the Lamar River through a vast landscape of grasslands, sagebrush flats, river bottoms, and mountain slopes. What makes it unique isn’t just the wildlife—it’s the scale.

Most people hear the word “valley” and imagine a relatively small area. Lamar Valley is anything but small. The broader Lamar wildlife corridor stretches roughly 29 miles from the Tower area toward Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance. The valley itself forms one of the largest open wildlife-viewing landscapes in Yellowstone, creating opportunities to observe wildlife behavior on a scale rarely found anywhere else in the continental United States.

Nothing cuter than a “red dog” or baby bison.

Unlike many wildlife destinations where animals disappear into dense forests, Lamar’s open terrain allows visitors to watch wildlife across tremendous distances. It is one of the few places left in America where you can sit in one location and potentially observe multiple iconic wildlife species during a single morning.

The valley’s history is deeply connected to Yellowstone itself. Long before the creation of Yellowstone National Park in 1872, Native American tribes traveled through and hunted the region. Later came mountain men, trappers, explorers, and early tourists. As wildlife populations declined across much of the West, Yellowstone became one of the last great refuges for many species.

Look close and you will see this badger that keep ducking in and out of cover near us in the Lamar Valley a few years ago.

Today, Lamar Valley remains one of the most important wildlife strongholds in North America.

I’ve seen that firsthand.

One of the most incredible wildlife behaviors I’ve ever witnessed happened there and involved an animal many Yellowstone visitors overlook.

Pronghorns.

I once watched two bucks engaged in a fierce rutting battle. Their horns clashed repeatedly as they pushed, twisted, and maneuvered against one another for dominance. I watched them for more than an hour before finally leaving.

Later, I returned.

They were still fighting.

A few hours after that, I came back again.

They were still at it.

More than three hours after I first saw them, those two animals were still locked in one of the most intense wildlife contests I’ve ever witnessed. It remains one of the most impressive displays of endurance and determination I have ever seen in the wild.

Lamar Valley is also famous for wolves.

The controversial reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone in 1995 remains a topic of debate among wildlife managers, ranchers, hunters, and conservationists. Regardless of where someone stands on the issue, wolves have become one of the valley’s signature species.

During one of my visits, I was fortunate enough to photograph wolves in Lamar Valley. Seeing a wild wolf moving through that landscape is certainly an unforgettable experience.

I’ve also seen grizzly bears there, another species that immediately commands attention whenever it appears. Watching a grizzly move through the valley reminds you quickly that Yellowstone remains one of the last truly wild places in America.

Then there are the bison.

Every visit seems to include unforgettable encounters with these iconic animals. One of my favorite sights is seeing the young calves that appear each spring. Their reddish coloration has earned them the nickname “red dogs,” and watching them run, play, and interact with the herd against the backdrop of Lamar Valley is one of Yellowstone’s classic wildlife experiences.

I’ve also seen bighorn sheep in the area, another species that never fails to impress. Their presence only adds to the remarkable diversity of wildlife found within the valley and surrounding mountains.

Lamar Valley has also become an important part of the outreach work we do through Higher Calling Wildlife.

Over the years, we’ve brought young people from our programs into Yellowstone and introduced them to wildlife on a scale many never imagined possible. Watching a child see wild bison, bighorn sheep, or other iconic animals for the first time is every bit as rewarding as the wildlife encounters themselves.

Lamar Valley has also been the setting for some memorable conservation media projects. During one visit, I had the opportunity to film there with my friend Paul Fiesinski of Aptitude Outdoors. Paul does outstanding work highlighting wildlife, conservation, and outdoor adventure, and Lamar Valley provided the perfect backdrop for capturing the kind of authentic wildlife experiences that make Yellowstone so special.

Whether photographing wildlife, filming conservation stories, or mentoring young people through Higher Calling Wildlife, Lamar Valley has repeatedly proven itself to be one of the most inspiring places I’ve ever visited.

Those experiences are a major reason the valley means so much to me.

Wildlife can change lives.

I’ve watched young people develop a passion for conservation after seeing Yellowstone wildlife. I’ve seen photography inspire confidence and purpose. I’ve watched kids who had rarely ventured beyond their hometown suddenly realize there is a much bigger world waiting to be explored.

Lamar Valley has played a role in many of those moments.

But as incredible as wolves, grizzlies, bison, and bighorn sheep are, my favorite Lamar Valley wildlife encounter involved a much smaller animal.

A badger.

For many wildlife enthusiasts, spotting a badger is actually harder than seeing a wolf or a bear. They are secretive, often active during low-light periods, and surprisingly easy to miss.

One day in Lamar Valley, I was fortunate enough to watch one.

There was no crowd gathered around it. No roadside traffic jam. No line of photographers stretching down the highway.

Just a badger going about its business.

To this day, it remains one of my favorite Yellowstone wildlife memories.

Which brings me back to the question: Is there anywhere else in the Lower 48 quite like Lamar Valley?

There are certainly great wildlife destinations. Hayden Valley elsewhere in Yellowstone is outstanding. Grand Teton National Park offers incredible opportunities. Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front is spectacular. The National Elk Refuge near Jackson is world-famous.

But none combine wildlife diversity, visibility, accessibility, and sheer scale quite like Lamar Valley.

In a single day, visitors might see bison, pronghorns, bighorn sheep, grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes, badgers, elk, and countless other species.

There may be places that rival Lamar Valley for a particular animal.

But when it comes to the overall wildlife experience, I don’t think there’s another place quite like it in the Lower 48.

Every time I visit Yellowstone, I find myself drawn back there.

Maybe it’s the possibility of seeing a grizzly around the next bend.

Maybe it’s the chance of spotting another badger.

Maybe it’s remembering the kids we’ve brought there through Higher Calling Wildlife and the impact those experiences had on their lives.

Whatever the reason, Lamar Valley has given me more unforgettable wildlife encounters than any place I’ve visited in the continental United States.

And that’s saying something.

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

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Higher Calling Wildlife

Bears, Elk & Tennessee

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In early August, we’ll be traveling to Tennessee for a special outreach focused on encouraging children through wildlife, conservation, and inspiration.

As part of this mission, we’ll be giving gift bags to kids in rural communities—simple gifts that can inspire a lifelong love of God’s creation while reminding them that they are seen, valued, and loved.

The first time we gave gifts in the Smoky Mountains was on the North Carolina side and we met this awesome family and gave them cool gift packages while viewing elk.

We’re asking for your help. And we need it because funds are pretty low and we really feel led to put this project together. You have been generous in the past and I believe we can get these items ordered through our readers and by extension you will be blessing these kids and aiming them toward a love of wildlife.

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We’ve created an Amazon Wish List filled with affordable items that will go directly into these gift bags. The list includes Tennessee wildlife field guides, plush black bears, wildlife-themed bracelets, educational items, and other small gifts designed to encourage young nature lovers.

These may seem like small things, but we’ve learned over the years that a field guide can ignite a passion for wildlife, a stuffed animal can bring comfort to a child facing challenges, and a simple gift can open the door to conversations that have a lasting impact.

If you’d like to be part of this mission, simply choose one or more items from our Amazon Wish List. They’ll be shipped directly to us so we can prepare the gift bags before we head to Tennessee.

Our Tennessee Mission Wish List (Link Below)

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1OXAWSH6A2WZT?ref_=wl_share

Every purchase, no matter how small, helps us bless another child.

Thank you for partnering with us through Higher Calling Wildlife as we share hope, encourage a love for God’s creation, and invest in the next generation of wildlife conservationists.

We can’t wait to share stories and photos from this Tennessee mission when we return!

Chester Moore

Follow Chester Moore and Higher Calling Wildlife® on the following social media platforms

To support the efforts of Higher Calling Wildlife® click here.

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@thechestermoore on Instagram

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Email Chester at chester@chestermoore.com.