It takes a community to protect wildlife, something Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom and National Wildlife Federation know well. The two teamed up once again for the 2025 EcoLeaders® college and university grants, which support the next generation of conservationists who are working to help protect and/or restore wildlife and/or their habitats.
2025’s recipients built bat and bird boxes, identified habitat for endangered species, removed invasive plants, monitored wildlife activity and released animals back to the wild. In the process they helped little brown bats, Eastern blue birds, San Joaquin kit foxes, brown-headed nuthatches, red-headed woodpeckers, Eastern rat snakes, gopher tortoises and freshwater mussels.
Wild Kingdom and National Wildlife Federation’s grant supported the following seven colleges and universities for 2025:
- Allegheny College in Pennsylvania
- California State University Bakersfield
- Georgia State University Perimeter College
- Kentucky State University
- Smith College in Massachusetts
- University of South Florida
- University of Tennessee
Learn more about how each school helped protect wildlife through their projects.
2025 grant recipient projects
Little brown bat, Eastern bluebird
Allegheny College
Songbirds in Pennsylvania, rejoice! Allegheny College built and installed 20 pine bird boxes across its campus to attract at least four native cavity-nesting songbirds: black-capped chickadees, Eastern bluebirds, house wrens and tree swallows. The team also installed boxes to protect habitat for endangered Northern long-eared bats and threatened little brown bats.
In addition, the team created a perennial native flower landscape which provides habitat and shows a sustainable alternative to a typical lawn. They planted three species of live plants, one species of bare root plant and 14 species of seeded plants.
San Joaquin kit fox
California State University Bakersfield
Protecting habitat is a critical part of protecting species. San Joaquin kit foxes are endangered, so the team at California State University Bakersfield conducted research to figure out the fox’s habitat. First, they collected 221 scat samples and extracted DNA to help identify which mammals the scat belonged to. Through this research, the team found five hot spot sites for the foxes.
This data was then used for a campus habitat conservation plan to preserve denning and hunting grounds for the foxes. This noninvasive plan was proposed to the City of Bakersfield to help protect the foxes and other endangered species.
Brown-headed nuthatch
Georgia State University Perimeter College
As a species of concern, the brown-headed nuthatch needs help from conservationists. The team at Georgia State University Perimeter College answered the call by building and installing 130 nest boxes across the campus as well as partner sites in the area.
The team also created 30 educational signs and engaged students in hands-on lab and field activities. This spring, the team will begin data collection during the bird’s nesting season.
Red-headed woodpecker
Kentucky State University
Supporting the red-headed woodpecker (a species of conservation concern) started with building and installing three nest boxes, but the project didn’t end there. Kentucky State University’s students and staff also removed invasive shrubs and sprayed invasive wineberry. These steps are key to habitat management and restoration.
Finally, the team hosted invasive species removal days called Woodland Wednesdays and community nest box building workshops with KSU’s Environmental Education and Research Center.
Eastern rat snake
Smith College
As a tree snake, the Eastern rat snake needs woody habitat to survive. Smith College’s project focused on habitat restoration through invasive plant species removal. The team removed five acres of invasive vegetation. They then planted over 100 native trees and shrubs and spread native grassland seed over two acres.
Finally, the team built a snake hibernaculum, or refuge to help both Eastern rat and other snake species. The techniques used in this project were documented to be applied for future restoration efforts in the area.
Gopher tortoise
University of South Florida
As the Bull’s Nature Trail Boardwalk is being built in Florida, the team at University of South Florida is ensuring its construction doesn’t impact gopher tortoise habitat. To do this, they installed four trail cameras which showed how the area is a corridor for many animals, but not the gopher tortoise. This is great news because it confirms the trail placement won’t harm tortoise habitat.
The team also used a positioning tool to map out existing gopher tortoise burrows to ensure the boardwalk project won’t have any impact on the gopher tortoise. A preliminary report was taken and the team continues to monitor it today.
Freshwater mussels
University of Tennessee
As the freshwater mussel population is affected by human activity in Tennessee, conservationists are actively trying to restore this native species. University of Tennessee students and staff fit 80 propagated freshwater mussels with VHF radio transmitters. These transmitters help the team track and monitor mussel activity to inform conservation action.
The team released the mussels into the river and then monitored mussel activity. As of January 2026, all mussels have survived and will continue to be tracked for six months. The team also created an identification guide for community awareness and held a workshop about mussel conservation.
