In the wake of the Newton attacks and moves by the American government to increase controls on the sales of guns, there has been a surge in arms purchases. This has the unexpected effect of helping to protect wildlife writes Jim Malewitz:

• A federal tax on the sales of guns and ammunition is used to finance wildlife projects.
• Declining gun sales were causing revenues flowing to such projects to fall.
• But in 2012 gun sales surged and the revenues collected for wildlife increased 43% to $555 million.
• This year should be another good one for wildlife…thanks to the increasing number of guns in the hands of Americans.

Read more about the types of projects that are financed with the funds, the effects that the sequester has had on the program, and why states might not be able to afford it if it continues to do so well over here.

Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts