N.C. welcomes breed pair of Red Wolves
The Red Wolf Center in Columbia, North Carolina, is set to welcome its first-ever breeding pair of Red Wolves. This historic event, a collaboration between North Carolina Wildlife Federation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Red Wolf SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) Program marks a significant milestone in efforts to conserve and protect the critically endangered Red Wolf.
Word from the Smokies: In the park, Cataloochee saw Helene’s worst
As Hurricane Helene fomented in the Caribbean, it seemed likely that Great Smoky Mountains National Park would take a direct hit. The storm reached Category 4 before slamming Florida’s Gulf Coast, then headed north toward the Smokies.
State of the waterways: New report details potential impacts of ordinance revisions
The Macon County Commission decided this month to delay consideration of changes to its watershed and floodplain ordinances until at least the new year, in part due to the organization of a Water Quality Advisory Committee and its new report on the state of Macon County waterways.
Word from the Smokies: Dedicated Smokies volunteer force protects elk and people
At 3:30 p.m., traffic flows smoothly along U.S. 441 past the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. The 80-some elk living in this area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park are still invisible beneath the forest canopy as the sun shines bright and warm.
Leave nature to tend to itself
To the Editor:
Thank you Gwen Landt and the Edith Allen Wildlife Sanctuary for caring for animals in need. We leave our field/meadow alone so deer can bed down and does can safely raise their fawns. As conveyed in the article, understanding the relationship between a doe and her fawn is important.
Learn about Hellbenders with Highlands Biological Foundation
The Highlands Biological Foundation is hosting its final Zahner Conservation Lecture of the season. Lori Williams, a Wildlife Diversity Biologist with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), will present “All About Hellbenders!”
NC hunters harvest near-record number of turkeys
Results from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s (NCWRC) 2024 Wild Turkey Harvest Summary report show that hunters recorded 24,074 birds harvested statewide in 2024, including 2,372 birds taken during the youth season.
Word from the Smokies: Smokies cities make strides toward ensuring bear, human safety with new trash bins
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to an estimated 1,900 black bears — about two per square mile — with more than 14,500 of these iconic mammals roaming the four-state mountain region.
College students tour WNC ‘Safe Passage’ projects
Earlier this year, members of Safe Passage, including the N.C. Department of Transportation, led a tour of wildlife crossing project sites along Interstate 40.
George Masa Foundation announces Youth Conservation Photography Prize
The George Masa Foundation has announced the launch of the inaugural George Masa Youth Conservation Photography Prize. This unique competition aims to inspire middle and high school students to connect with and protect our natural world through the art of photography.