Umbrella species occur within or migrate across large areas or entire ecosystems. The “umbrella” of their home ranges includes or covers the habitats of other wildlife species. Conserving sufficiently large areas to protect umbrella species can often time concurrently protect other animals residing within that entire territory.

The grizzly bear is probably one of the most prominent umbrella species in North America. Others include the American bison, which migrates over large areas throughout the year, and the black-footed ferret, which needs large complexes of prairie dogs. Because ferrets require thousands of acreages of prairie dog colonies to sustain healthy populations, protecting sufficient habitat—prairie dog colonies—for ferrets means helping other species under that umbrella of habitat protection.

Other umbrella species Forest Guardians works to protect include:

Black-footed Ferret
Columbian Sharp-tailed Grouse
Northern Aplomado Falcon
Lesser Prairie Chicken
Greater Sage Grouse