Income tax returns are due April 16, so there’s still time to make a Voluntary Tax Contribution or two that benefit wildlife on your California Form 540. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) needs your help to save the more than 300 listed threatened and endangered plant and animal species that are native to our state.

If someone else prepares your state tax return, let the preparer know you want to donate to the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Program on line 403 and/or California Sea Otter Fund on line 410.

The Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Program continues to benefit California’s native at-risk fish, wildlife and plants, thanks to the generosity of California taxpayers. Donations to this fund have enabled CDFW to obtain matching funds from the federal government and collaborate with numerous stakeholders and organizations to conserve native wildlife and restore habitat.

In the marine environment, Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) benefit from donations to the California Sea Otter Fund. There were once as many as 16,000 sea otters along California’s coast. The 2017 population survey counted fewer than 3,000 individuals—a slight decrease from the 2016 count.

Your donations to the Sea Otter Fund on line 410 support research on the causes of mortality in this species and other projects to help the sea otter population recover.

There is no upper limit to donations and any amount is appreciated. More information about how CDFW uses these Voluntary Tax Contribution Funds is available at www.wildlife.ca.gov/Tax-Donation and at www.facebook.com/SeaOtterFundCDFW.