2026 Critter Craziness

We’re back and ready for the chaos for National Wildlife Federation’s second annual Critter Craziness! If you’re a wildlife lover, you know March brings the start of spring when some animals come out of hibernation; but if you’re a sports fan, March brings the madness of bracket-filling and basketball. But what if we told you we have the best of both worlds? The competition will be wild, so get ready to prance.  

How does this work? We’ll be picking four species to represent each region—north, south, east, and west—with a total of 16 species. Then, after seeding each region, they’ll be going head-to-head in our bracket. The only difference between March Madness and Critter Craziness is that you will be deciding our ultimate winner. 

Prepare for The Big Prance, Critter Chaos, and Final Fur! Follow our social media channels, and vote on our 24-hour LinkedIn and Instagram polls to join in on all the Critter Craziness.

VOTING BEGINS MARCH 23!

2026 Critter Craziness: Bracket Schedule and Dates

Savory Sixteen: March 23rd – March 26th (8 matchups | 4 days)

• Monday, March 23rd: North 
• Tuesday, March 24th: East
• Wednesday, March 25th: South
• Thursday, March 26th: West

Elite Ate: March 30th – March 31st (4 matchups | 2 days)

• Monday, March 30th: North/East
• Tuesday, March 31st: South/West

Final Fur: April 1st (2 matchups | 1 day)

• Wednesday, April 1st: North/East vs South/West

Chompionship: April 3rd (1 matchup | 1 day) 

• Friday, April 3rd: Final

Regional Matchups

North Region

• 1st Seed: Sea otter 
• 2nd Seed: Canada Lynx 
• 3rd Seed: Grey Wolf
• 4th Seed: Common Loon

East Region

• 1st Seed: Raccoon
• 2nd Seed: Porcupine 
• 3rd Seed: Ruby-throated Hummingbird 
• 4th Seed: Eastern Hellbender

South Region

• 1st Seed: Manatee 
• 2nd Seed: Monarch butterfly
• 3rd Seed: Bobcat
• 4th Seed: Loggerhead Sea Turtle

West Region

• 1st Seed: Grizzly bear 
• 2nd Seed: Mountain lion 
• 3rd Seed: Mountain goat 
• 4th Seed: Great-horned owl

Additional Information

• Vote: LinkedIn | Instagram Story 
• Learn more: NWF Wildlife Guide 
• Donate: Adopt An Animal