Zebra mussels in moss ball.

Consumer Alert: Aquarium Moss Balls May Contain Invasive Zebra Mussels

March 12, 2021

Zebra mussels are an invasive species that have been found embedded in aquatic moss balls recently shipped to retail outlets across the United States. URGENT UPDATE to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission press release sent out March 5: RALEIGH, N.C. (March 5, 2021, 1:50 p.m.) – This afternoon, Dr. Art Bogan, research curator of mollusks… Read More >


Museum volunteer and TNVLC awardee, Kaitlyn Whitteker

Museum Paleontology volunteer named TNVLC Volunteer of the Week

March 11, 2021

Museum volunteer and TNVLC awardee, Kaitlyn Whitteker. Kaitlyn Whitteker was featured last week by the Triangle Nonprofit and Volunteer Leadership Center as their Volunteer of the Week. This recognition is based on Paleontology Lab Manager Eric Lund’s nomination. Eric’s nomination read, in part: “Kaitlyn volunteers with the Museum’s Paleontology Unit, predominantly in fossil preparation. By… Read More >


A Key deer fawn approaches a camera trap.

Connecting the spots for conservation of diminutive Key deer

March 10, 2021

A Key deer fawn approaches a camera trap. Click to enlarge. Did you know that the spots on deer fawns are unique to each individual, just like our own fingerprints are uniquely ours? Researchers from the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina State University and the University of Florida recently used this characteristic… Read More >


A Senior Ranger with a male Red Siskin. Photo: Meshach Pierre.

NCMNS Ornithology Unit awarded National Geographic grant for conservation of endangered Red Siskin

March 4, 2021

A Senior Ranger with a male Red Siskin. Photo: Meshach Pierre. NCMNS Collections Manager for Ornithology Brian O’Shea and the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) have been awarded a National Geographic Species Recovery grant ($44,447) to continue their work on the (IUCN Endangered) Red Siskin (Spinus cucullatus) in Guyana. Their project, “Implementing a Community-based Conservation… Read More >


Standing bears in camera trap photo

Candid Critters: Lessons learned from a statewide citizen science project

Citizen Science projects using camera traps produce high quality data but are hard to manage at a large scale. How do you get equipment to volunteers? Train them? Get the data back? See how Roland Kays, head of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences’ Biodiversity Lab, and colleagues met these challenges in a new paper… Read More >