NEWS

The balloonfish, a Long-spine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus), is a marine species native to North Carolina. Their teeth are fused together into a sharp cranial beak-like structure ideal for crushing prey such as clams, sea urchins and crabs. Although balloonfish are generally slow swimmers, they have a well-developed defensive behavior used to escape predators. When stressed… Read More >

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. 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. 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 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 >