Wildlife Conservation & Research
At Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, wildlife conservation and environmental conservation are daily practice.
Our staff, volunteers, and partners work together on long-term research and monitoring projects that deepen understanding of New Hampshire’s wildlife and ecosystems, and connect people to the science behind conservation. These efforts help protect the places and species that make the Squam region special today and for future generations.
Citizen Science at the Heart of Our Work
An important and growing part of the Science Center’s work includes citizen science, research, and wildlife monitoring carried out by our staff and volunteers in collaboration with local, regional, and international partners. By involving students, teachers, and community members directly in data collection, we build both stronger science and a stronger conservation ethic. The stories below highlight just a few of the projects that bring our conservation mission to life.
Hawk Migration Counts Watching the Skies
For 45 years, Science Center staff and 4th graders from InterLakes Elementary School have counted migrating hawks over the Lakes Region, contributing vital data on raptor populations to continent-wide wildlife conservation efforts.Learn More
Monitoring a Comeback Bats in the Night
Volunteer bat counts at our on-site bat boxes documented a steep White Nose Syndrome–related decline in Little Brown Bats and now capture their encouraging rebound, offering a rare conservation success story.Learn More
Wildlife Cameras on 207 Acres Hidden Stories
Dozens of trail cameras across our 210-acre campus quietly record nearly a quarter-million images and videos of wild animals, revealing hidden wildlife patterns and the importance of environmental conservation.Learn More
Tracking a Conservation Success Bald Eagles on Squam
Since Bald Eagles first nested on Squam Lake in 2003 after a fifty-year absence, careful monitoring has documented more than thirty fledged chicks and helped guide ongoing habitat protection.Learn More
Motus Wildlife Tracking Following Flight Paths
Two Motus receiver towers in the Squam Watershed now detect radio-tagged birds, bats, and insects from across the Americas, linking local landscapes to a global wildlife conservation network.Learn More
Tracking “Granite” Broad-Winged Hawks
By sponsoring a satellite transmitter on a Broad-winged Hawk nicknamed “Granite,” the Science Center is helping track this forest raptor’s migration between New Hampshire and South America.Learn More
Monarch Monitoring
Along a protected floodplain near Plymouth and at a local public school, staff, volunteers and students carefully count Monarch eggs and caterpillars on milkweed.Learn More
Tracking the Secret Lives of Fishers
A New Hampshire partnership to trap and collar Fishers, uncovering their movement and survival rates.Learn More