The surprising reason why buying guns helps endangered species

Every time someone buys an assault weapon in the US, such as an AR-15, they’re funding wildlife conservation. | Paige Vickers/Vox; Getty Images

Here’s a weird fact: Every time someone buys an assault weapon in the US, such as an AR-15, they’re funding wildlife conservation. The same is true if they purchase a handgun, a shotgun, or any other kind of gun or ammunition.

That’s thanks to a law most people have never heard of: the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, commonly known as the Pittman-Robertson Act.