It’s as easy as buying a Share with Wildlife license plate from MVD, making a donation online, or filling out a line on your state tax return to support the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Share with Wildlife program.
Since its inception in 1981, the Share with Wildlife program has funded many projects and organizations. A long-term recipient of funds is the New Mexico Wildlife Center, a non-profit in Española where sick and injured animals receive veterinary care, treatment and rehabilitation before being released back into the wild.
The program also funds research, especially on species lacking information needed in order for species conservation and management efforts to proceed. Focal species for 2019 include the Bendire’s thrasher, an elusive bird found in the southwestern corner of the state, and the Peñasco least chipmunk, which is found only in mountain ranges in southeastern New Mexico.
“People who contribute to the Share with Wildlife program make all these wildlife projects possible,” said Ginny Seamster, the department’s Share with Wildlife program coordinator. Donations to the program are matched by federal dollars to maximize the support for wildlife. More than $1.7 million dollars has gone to research, habitat enhancement, education and rehabilitation projects in the past 10 years. All donations fund projects, not program administration.
The program is reliant upon donations, especially through the purchase of the Share with Wildlife license plate and through tax refund contributions. To purchase a license plate, fill out and mail in the Wildlife Artwork form to the MVD along with your payment for the plate. To donate part of your state tax refund, just fill out line two of PIT-D, the voluntary contributions schedule. Visit the state Taxation and Revenue Department website for tax forms and instructions. Donations also can be made directly to the program through the mail or by making a donation through the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s Online Licensing System. Please visit the program’s website for more information or contact Ginny Seamster at (505) 476-8111 or virginia.seamster@state.nm.us.
