CNMI Division of Fish and Wildlife

Let's talk about snail colors!
For most snails, the colors of their shells comes from pigments in the shell's outer layer. But in akaleha' dilikao (English: fragile tree snail, scientific name: Samoana fragilis), the shells are almost clear, so the colors you see are from the skin underneath! Akaleha dilikao are usually yellow with brown splotches. At first glance, they may all look the same. But in some individuals, the yellow is more orange, and the brown is more red. In others, the yellow is so light it's almost white, or the brown is so dark it's almost black. Some individuals are mostly yellow, and others have much more brown. Finding all their subtle variations is like a scavenger hunt
🤍💛🧡❤️🤎🖤

The CNMI Sea Turtle Conservation team set out to the Aloha State for the 44th International Sea Turtle Society Symposium in Kailua-Kona from February 28th to March 6th. During the weeklong symposium, scientists, resource managers, policy makers, students, and community representatives from around the world came together to share scientific knowledge, strengthen partnerships, and advance sea turtle conservation strategies. Our team had the amazing opportunity to partake in the following workshops and events throughout the week:

🐢Day 2: Sustainable Use of Sea Turtles: Pathways, Challenges, and Cultural Perspectives Workshop 🔔

🐢Day 3: Emerging Genomic Tools for Sea Turtle Biology & Conservation • Advancing Lighting Initiatives for Sea Turtle and Wildlife Conservation • 6th Environmental Education Workshop: PBE for Sea Turtle Conservation 🧬

🐢Day 4: Plenary 1: Pacific Island Nations, Shared Seas: Indigenous Perspectives on Sea Turtle and Marine Conservation • In-water Biology • Anatomy, Physiology, & Health / Social, Economic, & Cultural Studies 🔬

🐢Day 5: Plenary 2: Headstarting Revisited: Effectiveness, Ethics, and Evidence • Education, Outreach, and Advocacy • Nesting Biology • Rehabilitation and Veterinary Care • Poster Pau Hana

🐢Day 6: Plenary 3: Surviving to Thriving: Evolving the Ethos of Sea Turtle Conservation • Fisheries & Threats • Conservation, Management & Policy ⚖️

🐢Day 7: Conservation, Management & Policy (cont’d), Population Biology & Monitoring • Closing 👋

Mahalo nui loa ISTS44, Si Yu’us Ma’ase and Ghilissou

Oh Deer!
The Philippine deer (Chamorro: binadu, scientific name: Rusa marianna) was introduced to Guam in the 1770s and later to the Northern Marianas and other Pacific Islands. Deer hunting is now an important part of CNMI culture. In its native range, Philippine deer are vulnerable to extinction. But in the CNMI, deer are an invasive species. They damage habitats and farms through overgrazing, which harms other threatened species that depend on native habitats. DLNR DFW can use deer hunting regulations to balance the protection of at-risk species with the perpetuation of culturally important activities 🦌

‼️SPECIAL NOTICE‼️

Our DFW Lower Base offices are temporarily closed as of today (January 21st) until further notice. While we undergo maintenance, the following section and programs will be available at their temporary contact numbers:

DFW Fisheries Section (670) 285-0427
Aquatic Education Program (670) 284-0478
Endangered Species Program (670) 287-8537

The last day to submit comments on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Request for Information (RFI) on the proposed Deep Sea Mining Leases near the Mariana Islands is in a few days (1/12/2026). To submit a comment please use the link in this post and follow the instructions provided.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/15/2025-22833/commercial-leasing-for-outer-continental-shelf-minerals-offshore-the-commonwealth-of-the-northern

If you need an explanation of what deep sea mining is - here is an article that provides a fairly unbiased overview of the topic.
https://www.wri.org/insights/deep-sea-mining-explained

There are many more resources online and provided at other local agencies including Northern Mariana College, Mariana Trench Marine Monument, and Friends of the Mariana Trench.

Commercial Leasing for Outer Continental Shelf Minerals Offshore the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands-Request for Information and Interest; Extension of Comment Period and Technical Correction The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces a 30- day extension of the comment period for the request for information and interest (RFI) for leasing of the Outer Continental Shelf minerals in and around an area offshore the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), referred...

🎉✨🎇🎆Happy New Year!🎆🎇✨🎉

Here’s to another year of akaleha’ tree snail conservation successes & surprises in 2026

Please enjoy these baby akaleha' as we welcome the young year

🐌

Top 10 Akaleha' Conservation Moments of 2025
1. 🥁drumroll🥁
We learned about more Rota sites with akaleha' tree snails!
😲Stumbled into thriving disjunct (sub)populations at a known site
👆Ann Marie Gawel showed us a spot she knew a decade ago
💬Community reports (& GPS point) for a spot we have yet to visit
🐌🎉