Endangered Animals in Montana: Species, Laws, and What You Need to Know

Montana is home to some of the most diverse and wild landscapes in North America — and with that comes a responsibility that goes beyond simply appreciating the scenery. Montana’s wildlife is extraordinary, but a significant number of species here are fighting for survival.

18 species currently listed under the Endangered Species Act can be found in Montana. Whether you’re a landowner, hiker, angler, or just someone curious about Big Sky Country’s natural heritage, understanding which animals are protected — and what the law requires of you — matters more than most people realize.

This guide walks you through how Montana’s endangered species system works, which animals are at risk, and exactly what you can and cannot do when you encounter them.

How Endangered Species Are Listed and Protected in Montana

Endangered species protection in Montana operates through two parallel systems: federal law and state law. Both carry real legal weight, and understanding how they interact is the first step to staying informed and compliant.

At the federal level, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act to protect and recover listed species of plants and animals native to the United States and its territories. The Service consults on actions authorized, funded, or carried out by other federal agencies to determine the impacts of an action on listed species, including coordination with federal, state, local, and private entities.

At the state level, Montana operates under its own framework. Montana’s Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act, found at MCA 87-5-101 to 87-5-132, was adopted in 1973 and provides the definitions, policy, and legislative intent behind the state’s approach to wildlife protection.

The federal definitions set the baseline for all listings:

• Endangered: Any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
• Threatened: Any species that is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

The Endangered Species Act of 1973 also requires five-year monitoring for species that have recovered and been delisted, meaning protections don’t simply disappear overnight — recovery is a long, monitored process.

Pro Tip: You can track the current status of Montana’s listed species directly through the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks species of interest page, which is updated as new status information becomes available.

The species status report is updated by a joint committee composed of biologists from the Montana Natural Heritage Program (MTNHP) and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MFWP) as new status information becomes available for individual species. This means the list is a living document — not a static one.

Federally Listed vs. State-Listed Endangered Animals in Montana

Not every at-risk animal in Montana carries the same level of legal protection. The distinction between federal and state listings shapes what rules apply — and who enforces them.

Endangered species policy in Montana involves the identification and protection of endangered and threatened animal and plant species, with policies implemented and enforced by both the state and federal governments.

Federally listed species receive protection under the ESA nationwide. State-listed species, by contrast, fall under Montana’s own Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Act and may not always align perfectly with federal classifications. Designation as a Montana Animal Species of Concern is not a statutory or regulatory classification. Instead, these designations provide a basis for resource managers and decision-makers to make proactive decisions regarding species conservation and data collection priorities in order to avoid additional extirpations.

Montana also maintains a “Species of Concern” category that sits below full endangered status. Montana “Species of Concern” are native animals breeding in the state that are considered to be “at risk” due to declining population trends, threats to their habitats, and/or restricted distribution. These animals don’t yet carry the full weight of ESA protections but serve as an early warning system for species headed toward more serious trouble.

Keep in mind that delisted doesn’t always mean unprotected. The bald eagle is a Special Status Species because, although it is no longer protected under the Endangered Species Act and is also no longer a Montana Species of Concern, it is still protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1940.

Notable Endangered Animals Found in Montana

From the mountains to the plains, Montana is home to a wide array of wildlife species. The state’s unique conditions foster unparalleled wildlife diversity, housing roughly 110 mammal species, 15 amphibian species, 85 fish species, 17 reptile species, and roughly 10,000 invertebrate species. Several of these face serious threats. Here are some of the most notable endangered and threatened animals you may encounter in Montana.

Grizzly Bear

The grizzly bear is arguably Montana’s most iconic threatened species. South of Canada, there are 6 grizzly bear subpopulations in Wyoming, Washington, Idaho, and Montana, four of which are partially or all in Montana (Northern Continental Divide, Greater Yellowstone, Cabinet-Yaak, and Bitterroot). In 2021, it is believed there are roughly 1,100 grizzly bears in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem in Montana and 1,000 bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Grizzly bears promote healthy ecosystems as they disperse nutrients and seeds. They promote plant growth when they dig for roots, bugs, and small mammals. Grizzly bears are opportunistic omnivores, meaning they will eat what’s available to them including plants and meat. Grizzlies in the lower 48 have made great progress from the brink of extinction, but still face major challenges from lack of connectivity between their habitats and risks from human-bear conflict.

Black-Footed Ferret

The black-footed ferret holds the grim distinction of being one of North America’s rarest mammals. These animals weigh in at about two pounds and measure roughly two feet long. They depend almost entirely on prairie dog burrows for shelter and prey. Today, only about 300 to 400 wild black-footed ferrets remain across the U.S., including sites in Montana.

The decline of prairie dog colonies due to eradication campaigns and disease, like sylvatic plague, devastated ferret populations. Additional threats include habitat loss, disease susceptibility, and incidental trapping. The UL Bend area of the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge represents one of Montana’s ferret success stories. After initial reintroductions in the 1990s, this population has persisted despite challenges, demonstrating that with proper management, these endangered predators can reclaim their ecological niche.

Northern Long-Eared Bat

These bats were once common across forested regions in 37 states, but their populations have collapsed by over 90 percent. They were listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2015 and officially declared endangered in 2022. Northern long-eared bat populations have been devastated by white-nose syndrome (a fungal disease), habitat fragmentation, logging, pesticides, and land development.

The northern long-eared bat is one of Montana’s 15 bat species. Populations across North America have suffered declines greater than 90 percent due to impacts from white-nose syndrome, a disease caused by a cold-adapted fungus that primarily affects hibernating bats.

Key Insight: White-nose syndrome is not caused by noise pollution, as sometimes reported — it’s a cold-adapted fungal disease that attacks bats during hibernation, spreading rapidly through cave-dwelling populations.

Pallid Sturgeon

About 100 wild pallid sturgeon remain in the upper Missouri River system, including in Montana and North Dakota, above Lake Sakakawea. Mature pallid sturgeon swim hundreds of miles upstream to congregate and spawn. Dams built in the 1900s disrupted the Missouri River and cut off access to much of the sturgeon’s spawning grounds. Additionally, many eggs and larvae die in man-made and oxygen-deprived reservoirs.

Bull Trout

Bull trout are threatened across the U.S., fully extinct in California and considered secure in only 2 percent of Montana’s streams where they reside. They face several factors contributing to their decline: rising water temperatures due to agriculture, poorly draining roads that add too much sediment to the waterways, and low river levels due to seasonal irrigation that cuts them off from spawning locations.

Canada Lynx

In early 2000, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service listed the Canada lynx as “threatened” under the federal Endangered Species Act. The listing covers 16 states, including Montana. As a federally threatened species, taking a lynx by trapping or shooting is prohibited.

If you want to compare Montana’s situation with neighboring states, the endangered animals in Washington and endangered animals in West Virginia face many overlapping threats driven by habitat loss and climate pressure.

What You Cannot Do Around Endangered Animals in Montana

Federal law is explicit about what constitutes a prohibited interaction with a listed species — and the definition is broader than most people expect.

The Endangered Species Act makes the taking of an animal on the endangered or threatened species list illegal. According to the act, to “take” is to “harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect or attempt to engage in any such conduct.”

That means even indirect harm — such as disturbing nesting habitat or chasing an animal — can qualify as a “take” under federal law. Here’s a breakdown of what’s prohibited:

• Hunting or trapping listed species — prohibited without a specific federal permit
• Harassing or pursuing — even non-lethal disturbance qualifies as a take
• Selling, purchasing, or transporting — delivering, receiving, selling, purchasing, or transporting a threatened or endangered animal species is prohibited without a permit, whether the species is alive or dead
• Habitat interference — permits are also required for individual or group activities that involve interfering with a species’ habitat. Individuals engaging in activities that might result in the taking of a protected species must abide by a Habitat Conservation Plan

Important Note: If you’re fishing Montana’s rivers and accidentally catch a bull trout, you are legally required to release it immediately. It is illegal to target bull trout, and if you catch one by accident, you should release it immediately.

Montana’s state law adds its own layer. State law prohibits the taking, possession, transportation, exportation, processing, sale or offer for sale, or shipment within Montana of species or subspecies of wildlife unless those actions will assist in preserving or propagating the species or subspecies.

Some species have species-specific rules worth knowing. For example, as a federally threatened species, taking a lynx by trapping or shooting is prohibited. If you run a trapline in western Montana, this distinction is critical.

Endangered Species on Private Land in Montana

One of the most common misconceptions about endangered species law is that it only applies on public land. It doesn’t. Federal protections follow the animal — not the property boundary.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nearly half of all federally protected threatened and endangered species have at least 80 percent of their habitats on private land. In Montana, this has real implications for ranchers, farmers, and rural property owners.

The Endangered Species Act prohibits individuals from taking listed species. To take a species is to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect, or attempt to engage in any such conduct with a listed species. Because federal law prohibits harmful interactions, including an activity that adversely modifies a species’ habitat, with listed species, private property use can be regulated unless a landowner receives federal approval.

If you plan to develop, modify, or conduct activities on your land that could affect a listed species, here’s what you need to know:

1. Incidental Take Permits (ITP): An incidental take permit is required if an activity may result in the taking of a threatened or endangered species. Those who apply for this permit must submit a habitat conservation plan to the proper federal or state authority ensuring that the effects of taking the species will be minimized and mitigated.
2. Habitat Conservation Plans (HCP): Before a permit is granted, property owners must submit a habitat conservation plan, which must contain information on the relevant and predicted effects of the individual’s taking of a listed species, how the effects will be minimized and/or mitigated, and how the plan will be financed. Individuals must document that they have considered all possible protective actions for the listed species before finalizing a plan.
3. No Surprises Policy: The “no surprises policy” requires that the Fish and Wildlife Service will not apply additional land use regulations beyond the original terms and conditions of a habitat conservation plan agreed upon between the landowners and the federal government.
4. Candidate Conservation Agreements: Candidate Conservation Agreements are made by the Fish and Wildlife Service with non-federal property owners to provide incentives for conserving candidate species so that they are not listed as endangered or threatened.

Common Mistake: Property damage is generally not a legal defense for harming a listed species. Under the Endangered Species Act, the protection of an individual’s property from a listed species is not considered a permissible defense against potential federal penalties. An individual cannot kill a listed animal to prevent damage to a house, building, or other piece of property unless the individual was also protecting himself or herself from bodily harm.

Montana FWP also has authority to enter into cooperative agreements with private persons for management of areas used for nongame or endangered wildlife, giving landowners a formal pathway to participate in conservation rather than simply face restrictions.

How to Report an Endangered Animal Sighting in Montana

If you spot what you believe is an endangered or threatened animal in Montana, reporting it is one of the most valuable contributions you can make to conservation science. Wildlife managers rely on public observations to track populations and identify new habitat use areas.

Here’s how to report a sighting effectively:

1. Contact Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP): You can reach your regional FWP office directly. The Montana FWP species of interest page lists contact information by region.
2. Use the Montana Field Guide: The Montana Field Guide maintained by the Montana Natural Heritage Program accepts wildlife observations and tracks species occurrence data statewide.
3. Report to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: For federally listed species, the Montana Ecological Services Field Office of the USFWS is the appropriate federal contact.
4. Document what you saw: Record the date, location (GPS coordinates if possible), behavior, and any photos or video. The more detail you provide, the more useful your report becomes.

Observations must be reported by a credible observer within appropriate time periods and within appropriate habitats or ecological settings in order to be included in MTNHP plant or animal databases. This means your report has the best chance of being recorded if it includes specific habitat context, not just a general location.

Pro Tip: If you observe an injured or dead endangered animal, do not touch or move it. Contact Montana FWP immediately. Possessing parts of a protected species — even unintentionally — can trigger legal consequences.

Despite the challenges, Montana has become a focal point for innovative conservation efforts. Federal agencies, tribal nations, conservation organizations, and private landowners have established collaborative initiatives to protect and restore critical habitats. Your sighting report can feed directly into those efforts.

You might also want to familiarize yourself with endangered animals in Virginia to see how other states approach public reporting and species tracking systems — many use similar frameworks.

Penalties for Harming or Taking an Endangered Animal in Montana

The legal consequences for violating endangered species protections in Montana are serious — and they apply at both the federal and state level. Ignorance of the law is not a recognized defense.

Federal Penalties Under the ESA

Under the Endangered Species Act, individuals who knowingly take a listed species can be fined up to $25,000 for each violation or instance. Individuals who otherwise unknowingly take a species can be fined up to $500 for each violation or instance.

Criminal penalties can also include imprisonment. The severity of punishment scales with whether the violation was knowing or incidental, and whether commercial activity was involved.

State-Level Penalties in Montana

Montana adds its own restitution schedule on top of federal penalties. Under Montana law, a person convicted or forfeiting bond or bail on a charge of the illegal taking, killing, possession, or waste of a wild bird, mammal, or fish shall reimburse the state for each animal according to a schedule that includes $2,000 for mountain sheep and endangered species.

Additional civil penalties can also apply in specific circumstances. Any registrant, applicator, dealer, retailer, or other person who commits a major violation may be assessed a civil penalty by the department of not more than $2,500 for each offense.

Beyond fines and restitution, convictions can result in loss of hunting and fishing licenses, forfeiture of equipment, and in serious cases, federal imprisonment. Montana courts also have the authority to order additional restitution payments beyond standard fines.

Important Note: Penalties stack. A single incident involving a listed species can trigger both federal and state charges simultaneously, meaning you could face fines from two separate jurisdictions for the same act.

Despite the amazing efforts taken to protect wildlife across Montana, some populations have approached critically low levels. Whether the cause is attributed to past mismanagement or current threats, the Endangered Species Act provides crucial protection for keystone species such as grizzly bears. The penalty structure reflects how seriously both state and federal governments take these protections.

Understanding the rules isn’t just about avoiding fines — it’s about playing a real role in keeping Montana’s wildlife intact for the future. Montana’s diverse wildlife is a shared resource, and the legal framework surrounding endangered species exists because voluntary protection alone hasn’t been enough. Whether you’re out fishing the Missouri River, running a trapline in the Cabinet Mountains, or managing private ranchland near grizzly habitat, knowing where the legal lines are drawn protects both you and the animals that share this landscape with you.

For a broader perspective on how biodiversity loss plays out globally, you can explore some of the world’s largest animals — many of which face similar pressures from habitat loss and human encroachment — or learn about animals native to Australia, where endangered species law has followed a comparable evolution to the U.S. system.