U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Loses 36% of Workforce Under Trump Administration Cuts

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 4, 2026

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has shed 36% of its total workforce — dropping from 9,957 to 6,333 employees between 2024 and 2026 — according to FOIA data obtained by the Center for Biological Diversity. The cuts include roughly 1,900 scientists such as biologists, foresters, and fire managers, with neighboring states like Colorado and Montana seeing 40–41% reductions. The National Elk Refuge in Wyoming, a microcosm of the broader trend, went from 11 full-time staff to just 5. For staffing firms with public-sector or environmental/scientific placement practices, this wave of federal departures may signal near-term demand for contract or permanent placement of displaced federal workers.