A new survey from the International Fund for Animal Welfare shows that Americans across party lines overwhelmingly support wildlife protections and nature-based policymaking. The survey, commissioned by IFAW and conducted online by Beekeeper Group from June 26 to July 3, 2025, sampled 2,004 US adults aged 18 and older, and was weighted for national representation.
Issues such as the Endangered Species Act, marine mammal protections, international funding for wildlife programs, and the ethical treatment of animals were all included in the survey. Across every category, strong majorities endorsed science-based policies for wildlife protections.
For example, 70% of respondents support factoring the value of nature into government decision-making, and 78% support the goals of the Endangered Species Act. Among its many other success stories, the ESA is credited with helping gray wolves recover in Yellowstone National Park and for bringing grizzly bears back from the brink of extinction.
Other key findings of the survey include:
- 81% of Americans say they are concerned about the environment, the welfare of animals, and conserving nature (each).
- 84% believe the US should focus on preventing endangered species from becoming extinct.
- 72% say they would be more likely to support a candidate who prioritizes protections for threatened and endangered species.
- 82% say it is important for marine mammals to be federally protected; 80% support funding NOAA to implement the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- 75% support US funding for wildlife conservation in other countries.
- 82% believe protecting imperiled species is important for people in the US; 80% value the diversity of plant and animal life.
“The results confirm what we see on the ground: Americans overwhelmingly want safer, stronger, more thoughtful protections for wildlife,” said Danielle Kessler, US country director for IFAW. “From endangered species to marine mammals, from habitat protection to rejecting inhumane control methods—the data point to a firm public mandate for conservation that centers animal welfare, science, and long‑term thinking.”
IFAW notes that the findings come at a critical time, as landmark federal protections face political pressure, and vital international conservation funding remains at risk.
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