Crossing Structures for Carolina Northern Flying Squirrels

In the Unicoi Mountains of Graham County, endangered northern flying squirrels are not able to glide across the width of the Cherohala Skyway.

In an effort to solve the problem, biologists have posted utility poles as artificial crossing structures at key locations to help narrow the gap.

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North Carolina Bats

Bats belong to a diverse group of mammals that play an important role in nature. They eat insects, which controls agricultural pests, and other insects such as mosquitoes. A nursing female bat may consume almost her entire body weight in insects in one night. Some bat populations have been declining all over the United States. Pesticides, persecution and human disturbance of hibernacula and maternity colonies may have contributed to the decline of bat populations. To determine bat distribution and hibernation sites in North Carolina, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission conducts monitoring studies and provides artificial rooting structures in various areas across the state.

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Long-Term Funding for Wildlife Conservation

There are a number of “cap-and-trade” bills in the US Congress that would set a cap on carbon emissions and establish a market for carbon pollution credits. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change offers a handy comparison chart (pdf) of the various climate change bills. The bills are complex and vary in terms of the economic sectors that are covered, the level and timeframe for the cap, and how the carbon credits are allocated.

Recently, US Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and John Warner (R-VA) introduced a new bill - “America’s Climate Security Act” (ACSA) - and Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) has signed on as a co-sponsor. Funding to states and territories may be utilized only for adaptation activities that are carried out in accordance with comprehensive wildlife adaptation strategies, otherwise known as State Wildlife Action Plans. 

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