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Articles in regional publications that pertain to a wide range of North Carolina-related topics.

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35 results for "Wildlife--North Carolina"
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Record #:
43268
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Abstract:
In this article the author is talking about the elusive barn owl. The author discuss the differences between a barn owl and other owls like they hiss and scream instead of hooting and they nest on top of their own pellets instead of building a nest. The barn owl is hard to research because of their secretive and nocturnal nature. The species of greatest conservation need in the North Carolina Wildlife Action Plan hope to better understand the Barn owl’s population size, nesting habits, and distribution.
Record #:
43356
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In this article the author is discussing the diamondback rattlesnakes that live in North Carolina and what aspects contribute to their decline. The diamondback rattlesnake mainly resides in the longleaf pine tree forests. The diamondback rattlesnake takes up residence in burrows created by gopher tortoise. In the event there are no gopher tortoise burrows’ around the diamondback must find large and deep tree stumps which mainly are found in old longleaf pine forests. Another factor contributing the decline of the diamondback rattlesnake is the reproductive rates of the species is that females tend to reproduce twice in their life time and they produce a litter of six to ten neonates but the species can have up to thirty. During pregnancy the female snakes lose half their body weight which is dangerous for the health of the snake. After giving birth to a litter the female tends to not be able to give birth to another litter for at least two to six years. Diamondback rattlesnakes require large areas as their habitat but only 1-3% of longleaf pine forests that still exist. Lastly, the diamondback rattlesnake has been historically persecuted by humans due to their size and also them being venomous. The author states that yes a bite would require immediate medical attention but the snake are not a threat to humans as long as they are left alone.
Record #:
43305
Author(s):
Abstract:
In this article the author is talking about the less well known diamondback terrapins and the decline in their populations. The diamondback terrapin gets its name from the concentric ring pattern on its upper shell. The author discusses that the diamondback terrapin lives in brackish waters which is where fresh water flows into saltwater. Native American have traditionally hunted the diamondback terrapin for consumption. The author discusses that during this time the turtle was considered to be a cheap and reliable source of food up until the mid-1800’s where the wealthy considered turtle soup to be a delicacy. This has caused an increase of wild farming and the creation of commercial farming of the diamondback terrapin. One incident that has been seen to have saved the diamond back terrapin was The Great Depression because not even the wealthiest could not reasonably pay for “turtle soup.”
Record #:
43213
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In this article the author is discussing the lack of research and conservationist efforts towards the Bowfin fish. The author talks about how other fish species like the Red Drum have protect waterways and is recognized but these same practices are used when it comes to the Bowfin fish. The author states that there is research going into it scales, bone structure, and muscle structure but there is no research on how or where it lives. The author speaks about one weird instance he saw when fishing that relates to the Bowfin. The author states that he saw what looked like Bowfin and Bass corroborating when trying to catch bait fish which is not heard of in the literature.
Record #:
43207
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Abstract:
This article is discussing the Bowfin fish and how it feel to try and catch one as well as some of its history. The author discussed that many articles and publications that involve the Bowfin consider it too be a “trash fish.” The author discusses that the Bowfin had survived the time of dinosaurs and also the rise of mammals and human fishermen. The author relates to the fish’s survival to the recent pandemic that has been present in the world. The author then goes on to talk about how trying to reel in a Bowfin feels like trying to reel in a tuna because of their strength and never ending fight to not be caught. Lastly, the author discusses that the Bowfin differ from many other freshwater fish in that it can survive being out of the water longer, the bine plate of its jaw is different, and that it has no scales on its head.
Record #:
43215
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Abstract:
In this article the author discusses setting up restoration of native vegetation and the building of new fish habitats in Shearon Harris. These talks were brought up during the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission meetings. The author discusses that he also had another reason for the restoration to occur which was that in the restoration of Bass habitats it will also help rebuild the onshore habitats for the Bowfin. The talk for restoration was discussed after the damage that occurred after Hurricane Mathew hit the coast of North Carolina. The author states that locals talk about how Shearon Harris is not what it used to be but the author asks what Harris will be like in the years to come. The author discusses that the vegetation restoration will bring the Bowfin and Bass back from off-shore because they use the vegetation for nesting grounds. The author says that some fisherman will be disappointed to find a bowfin at the end of their line or that they will check their North Carolina Sportfish Identification Pocket Guide and see that it is listed as a sport fish. Many state that the Bowfin does not put up much of a fight to be considered a sport fish but the author says they can list many publications that will attest to their ferocity. Even though the Bowfin is listed as a sport fish it does not have the same protections that other fish have on the same list. The author states that you can catch and kill as many Bowfin as you want unlike other fish. Lastly, the author states that there needs to be more education on this North Carolina fish because after returning to many of the places he use to fish he would find the dead bodies of many Bowfin on the shore.
Record #:
43203
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In this article the author discusses their work as black bear and furbearer biologist. A furbearer is any mammal that is known for fur harvesting and in North Carolina this includes 18 different wildlife species. These species include both aquatic and terrestrial animals which examples of are bobcats, raccoons, otters, beavers, nine-banded armadillo, and the eastern spotted skunk. The author states that his line of work came bring them to the coastal plains one week and the mountains the next. The relationship between the biologist and local hunters and trappers is very important because it is the locals that provide information, data, samples, and help by submitting surveys. This career choice was not easy for the author in the beginning because they did not have many female role models in the field and people were skeptical that a woman could work in their line of profession. Lastly, the author states that the profession has changed a lot of the past 20 years and this has led to more respect for women working in this field.
Record #:
43272
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In this article the author is discussing the building of better nest boxes for the Barn Owl which simulate the natural nesting areas the Barn Owl use. The author talks about that the containers being used as nesting boxes are made from 250-275 gallon intermediate bulk containers. The author says that other barn owls around the country use smaller nesting boxes but the barn owl in North Carolina have been shown to no like using the smaller nesting boxes. The hope for the use of these larger nesting boxes is so that when barn owls are moved from where they are interfering with human activity they still have a safe nesting choice. The author is discussing that they are working to install these new nesting boxes in areas with active barn owl populations and are looking to install more nesting boxes.
Record #:
43243
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Abstract:
In this article the author discusses the rare times they have seen a mink in an urban environment. In the beginning of the article the author discusses a time when they were waiting for the appearance of a mink at the harbor of downtown Norfolk, North Carolina. The author describes their first time spotting a mink in an urban setting was when they were showing a friend and their family Norfolk. The author describes that their friend’s daughter spotted a crowd photographing a pair of mink pubs playing around. The author later describes that they rarely get the chance to see minks in the wild and stated the oddity of seeing them in an urban setting. Lastly the author discusses that during the winter months they would look out for the create and would see the mother mink popping in and out of holes in the rocks foraging for her pups.
Record #:
23920
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Abstract:
Red-tailed Hawks are common throughout North Carolina, even in the state's large cities. The birds are spectacular and seem to be increasing in number, but are still in danger of birds-of-prey hunters.
Record #:
43281
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Abstract:
In this article the author discusses he different exceptions to the rule for egg size and color corresponding the adult bird’s size and nesting location. The benefit of the Kiwi laying large eggs meant that the chicks would be born almost fully grown, feathered, and with their eyes open which this increased their predator avoidance. The size of the egg is also advantages for the Kiwi because it provided the chick with enough substance to sustain them until they were prepared to forage on their own. The author states that there are North Carolina birds that hatch similar to the Kiwi. These North Carolina birds are the bobwhite quail and piping plover but there were differences in nutrition and the sizes of their eggs were smaller than the Kiwi’s.
Record #:
43269
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Abstract:
The author states that by monitor the nest boxes of barn owls they will be able learn more about their populations and how they are distributed. The author states that they also want to learn barn owl nesting time, clutch size, and nest success. The questions the Barn Owl Project is trying to answer is: what factors play a role in occupancy, what happens to juveniles when they leave the nest, what is the distance the adults travel to hunt, and what is the frequency of adults returning to the nest. The author discusses that these answers can be obtained through banding of the Barn Owls.
Record #:
43346
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In this article the author discusses how citizen science projects help individuals and community members to get outside. The citizen science projects will have you to identify different habitats and species of animal that live in North Carolina. The author also discusses that these citizen science projects can also help you and your family get outside. Lastly, the author states that having more people volunteering in identifying native species increases the odds of correctly identifying individual species.
Record #:
43345
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Abstract:
In this article the author is talking about the importance of being goal orients in citizen science projects. One example the author gives is about the N.C. Bird Atlas which wants to log all of the bird species in North Carolina over the next five years. Previously stated would be the long term goal and the short term goal would be to have volunteers in the community to observe birds during the winter to log their migration patterns. Another long term goal would be to correlate changes in bird migration patterns to climate change. Another example given by the author was the N.C. Alligators iNaturalist project. This program asks that volunteer community members to take picture of alligators and to upload them into the iNaturalist mobile app. The long term goal of this project is to learn about the natural distribution of alligators in North Carolina. The short term goal is to learn about North Carolina alligators behaviors in different areas of North Carolina.
Record #:
43371
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Abstract:
In this article the author is discussing how the members of the Esox Genus or more importantly the redfin pickerel have y-shaped bones that can make it difficult to eat for predators and that includes us. In this article the authors discusses that Ray Atkinson has ways to properly prepare and cook the redfin pickerel so that it is safe to eat. Atkinson states that you should season and create small cuts on the flesh and then bread the fish. After cooking you just need to grab the spine of the cooked fish and pull through the open rib cage and the spine and ribs should come out smoothly. Atkinson states that the redfin pickerel is the best fish to eat in fresh water. They state that everyone they knew also loved to eat the fish but now they are one of the only ones that still enjoy the fish today.