Wildlife Diversity Report 4th Quarter 2025

NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION

WILDLIFE DIVERSITY PROGRAM QUARTERLY REPORT October–December 2025

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE N.C. WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION ncwildlife.gov

On the cover, clockwise from top left: Cape May Warbler, photo by Josh Emm, Wildlife Technician, Nathan Vaughn, photographs a Neuse River Waterdog after its release, photo by Jeff Hall, Copperhead found crossing a road in the Sandhills during a road survey for snake SGCN, photo by Aubrey Greene, and Audubon NC technician, Ashlyn Newberry, photographs a flock of American Oystercatchers, photo by Ben Wunderly. Banded American Oystercatcher “NX” from Massachusetts, photo by Carmen Johnson and NCWRC reptile team (Gabrielle Graeter, Rosie Ronca, and Arden Frock) are joined by NC Natural Heritage Program’s Jess Schaner, NCWRC furbearer biologist Caitlin Brett, and NCSU volunteer Mary Diez to address maple growth in bog habitat in Alleghany Co., photo Rosie Ronca.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Table of Contents Wildlife Diversity Program Staff ..........................................................................................................4 Searching for Herps in All the Right Places – Sandhills Ecoregion ........................................................6 Locals and Visitors Intermingling at Shackleford Banks ........................................................................ 7 Using Motus Stations to Document Full Annual Cycles of Songbirds .....................................................8 Restoring Bog Habitat to Support Recovery of the Southern Lineage of Bog Turtles .............................10 Trapping for Waterdogs! ...................................................................................................................11 A Core Banks Atlasing Adventure .....................................................................................................12 What We Are Learning About the Elusive Black Rail From a Dry Year ...................................................13 2025 Post-Tropical Storm Helene Gray Bat Efforts Conclude ..............................................................14 Studying Timber Harvest Effects on Green Salamanders and Their Micro-climate ...............................15 Extended Non-nesting Period For a Loggerhead Sea Turtle .................................................................17 Technical Assistance .......................................................................................................................18 Partners for Green Growth ................................................................................................................18 Resilience Strategy ..........................................................................................................................19 Conservation Partnerships ...............................................................................................................19 Western NCDOT: Bats ......................................................................................................................20 Aquatic Passage ..............................................................................................................................20 Aquatic Organism Passage/Culvert Assessment Project .....................................................................21

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission’s (NCWRC) Wildlife Diversity (WD) Program is housed within the agency’s Inland Fisheries (Aquatic Wildlife Diversity) and Wildlife Management divisions. Program responsi- bilities principally include surveys, research and other projects for nongame and endangered wildlife species. Nongame species are animals without an open hunting, fishing or trapping season.

Wildlife Diversity Program Staff

Dr. Sara Schweitzer, Assistant Chief, Wildlife Management Division, Wildlife Diversity Program sara.schweitzer@ncwildlife.gov; Wake County Rachael Hoch, Assistant Chief of Fisheries, Inland Fisheries Division, Aquatic Wildlife Diversity

rachael.hoch@ncwildlife.gov; Wake County Scott Anderson, Science Support Coordinator scott.anderson@ncwildlife.gov; Wake County Brooke Calisto, Waterbird Technician brooke.calisto@ncwildlife.gov; Carteret County John Carpenter, Eastern Landbird Biologist john.carpenter@ncwildlife.gov; New Hanover County

Karen Clark, Science Support Specialist karen.clark@ncwildlife.gov; Coastal Region Kacy Cook, Waterbird Biologist kacy.cook@ncwildlife.gov; Onslow County Katherine Etchison, Mammalogist katherine.etchison@ncwildlife.gov; Buncombe County Dr. Luke Etchison, Western Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Coordinator luke.etchison@ncwildlife.gov; Haywood County Michael Fisk, Eastern Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Coordinator michael.fisk@ncwildlife.gov; Lee County

Sarah Finn, Coastal Wildlife Diversity Biologist sarah.finn@ncwildlife.gov; New Hanover County

Gabrielle Graeter, Conservation Biologist/Herpetologist gabrielle.graeter@ncwildlife.gov; Buncombe County Aubrey Greene, Wildlife Diversity Biologist/Herpetologist aubrey.greene@ncwildlife.gov; Moore County Dr. Matthew Godfrey, Sea Turtle Biologist matt.godfrey@ncwildlife.gov; Carteret County Jeff Hall, Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Biologist jeff.hall@ncwildlife.gov; Pitt County Silas Hernandez, Landbird Technician silas.hernandez@ncwildlife.gov; Pender County Carmen Johnson, Waterbird Biologist carmen.johnson@ncwildlife.gov; Craven County

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Brena Jones, Landscape Planning Coordinator, Habitat Conservation Division brena.jones@ncwildlife.gov; Granville County Chris Kelly, Western Bird and Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel Biologist christine.kelly@ncwildlife.gov; Buncombe County

CC King, Science Support Specialist cc.king@ncwildlife.gov; Piedmont Region Jacob Krueger, Waterbird Technician

jacob.krueger@ncwildlife.gov; Craven County Amber Olson, Eastern Listed Species Biologist amber.olson@ncwildlife.gov; Alamance County Dylan Owensby, Western Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Biologist dylan.owensby@ncwildlife.gov; Haywood County Michael Perkins, Foothills Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Biologist michael.perkins@ncwildlife.gov; McDowell County Claire Reilly, Waterbird Technician claire.reilly@ncwildlife.gov; Craven County Langston Rimmer, Central Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Biologist langston.rimmer@ncwildlife.gov; Alamance County Rosie Ronca, Herpetologist Technician rosie.ronca@ncwildlife.gov; Buncombe County Chantelle Rondel, Western Aquatic Listed Species Biologist chantelle.rondel@ncwildlife.gov; Macon County TR Russ, Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Survey and Monitoring Supervisor thomas.russ@ncwildlife.gov; McDowell County Lee Sherrill, Science Support Specialist lee.sherrill@ncwildlife.gov; Mountain Region Andrea Shipley, Mammalogist (shared staff with Surveys & Research) andrea.shipley@ncwildlife.gov; Nash County Hope Sutton, Eastern Wildlife Diversity Supervisor hope.sutton@ncwildlife.gov; New Hanover County Mike Walter, Eastern Region Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Biologist michael.walter@ncwildlife.gov; Alamance County

Alicia Davis Wassmer, Alligator Biologist alicia.wassmer@ncwildlife.gov; Wake County Joey Weber, Bat Technician joey.weber@ncwildlife.gov; Haywood County

Kendrick Weeks, Western Wildlife Diversity Supervisor kendrick.weeks@ncwildlife.gov; Henderson County Lori Williams, Western Amphibian Biologist lori.williams@ncwildlife.gov; Henderson County

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Searching for Herps in All the Right Places – Sandhills Ecoregion by Aubrey Greene, Wildlife Diversity Biologist – Amphibians and Reptiles, Sandhills & Piedmont Regions

T his quarter began with road surveys for snakes that are Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), includ- ing the Southern hognose snake, Northern pine snake, and Eastern coachwhip. Unfortunately, it was a surprisingly slow year, particularly for Southern hognose snakes with only 10 reported in the Sandhills by staff and the public. Even on seemingly perfect weather days, we encountered few snakes of any species, let alone our targets. On those slow days we would follow the mantra, “if you can’t find what you’re looking for, look for what you’re find- ing!” Sometimes what you’re finding is just lots of caterpillars and butterflies, which are also very amazing. We ended the quarter setting automated acoustic recording units (AKA frogloggers) to monitor SGCN frogs including gopher frogs and ornate chorus frogs on State and Federal lands over the winter months. Several ARUs were set by Department of Defense partners in areas that aren’t otherwise accessible, so we will be able to doc-

AUBREY GREENE/NCWRC

Top:Swallowtail butterflies attracted to moisture, observed during road sur- veys for snake SGCN in the Sandhills.

ument breeding (call- ing) activity by those populations and see how they compare to others in the state. Most Sandhills ponds are dry or nearly so and will need signifi- cant precipitation this winter for frogs to breed successfully.

AUBREY GREENE/NCWRC

Left: Tersa Sphinx Moth Caterpillar (larva) found crossing the road during a road survey for snake SGCN. Right: Juvenile rough green snake found crossing the road during a road survey for snake SGCN in the Sandhills. Bottom: Copperhead found crossing a road in the Sandhills during a road survey for snake SGCN.

Automated acoustic recording unit (AKA froglogger) set at an ephemeral wetland to record frog SGCN in the Sandhills.

Loggerhead sea turtle nesting crawls seen on Wrightsville Beach in the first week of July 2021.

AUBREY GREENE/NCWRC

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Locals and Visitors Intermingling at Shackleford Banks

by Carmen Johnson, Waterbird Biologist; and Claire Reilly, Waterbird Technician

I n November 2025, the Waterbird Team joined staff from Audubon North Carolina and the Rachel Carson compo- nent of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve to con- duct a winter roost survey of American Oystercatchers near Shackleford Banks, the Newport River, and the Rachel Carson Reserve. Like many other species, during the non-breeding season American Oystercatchers roost in groups for safety from predators and energy conservation, which provides an excellent opportunity to resight banded individuals. The team spotted a mix of birds sporting dark green leg bands, meaning that they were banded in North Carolina. We also saw birds banded in Georgia, Virginia, New York, and Massachusetts. Each band sports a unique color and letter code that makes it possible to identify the bird. Notably, yellow band “NX” was seen in the group. “NX” was banded in Falmouth, Massachusetts, in 2009 and has spent every winter in Carteret County before returning north to nest. Another visitor, red band “IJ”, was banded on the Alta- maha River in Georgia in 2010 and visited North Carolina every winter until 2013, when it decided to relocate here per- manently. “IJ” nested at Cape Lookout National Seashore in 2013 and 2014 and has been seen in Carteret County often since then, though this was the first time the bird has been resighted in 2025. We are glad to see these long-time visitors getting along with the locals!

BEN WUNDERLY/NC COASTAL RESERVE

Top: Audubon NC technician, Ashlyn Newberry, photographs a flock of American Oystercatchers. Bottom: Claire, Carmen, and Lindsay preparing to survey a shoal that is part of the Rachel Carson compo- nent of the N.C. National Estuarine Research Reserve.

CARMEN JOHNSON/NCWRC

MATTHEW GODFREY/NCWRC

Flock of American Oystercatchers on Shackleford Banks.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Using Motus Stations to Document Full Annual Cycles of Songbirds by Chris Kelly, Wildlife Diversity Biologist, Western Birds and Carolina Northern Flying Squirrels

W estern North Carolina’s Motus station network has grown to 9 year-round stations, including 5 in the NCWRC Motus Project. This expanding network plays a valuable role in migration research. Autumn migration 2025 brought a surge of detections that tell stories about birds’ full annual cycles and the value of western North Carolina’s habitats for rest and refueling.

Autumn 2025 detections at stations in the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Motus Proj- ect (August 1 to November 30 migration period).

# individual animals detected

# migration research projects served

Station

# species detected

The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center

Pond Mountain

6 4 4 2

UNC Asheville Observatory

Kings Bridge

7 3

5 3

WH Silver Game Land

The growing Motus station network documented the full round-trip journeys of some indi- viduals passing through our mountains. Wood Thrush #61130 was tagged by the Wildlife Conservation Society of Guatemala at their Motus Tikal station in December 2024. It passed a Motus station in western Virginia in April 2025, then went undetected during the nesting sea- son. On October 9 and 10, it pinged Motus stations in Asheville (UNC-Asheville Observatory) and Highlands on its way south. By October 19 it had returned to its wintering grounds in Guatemala. A Swainson’s Thrush #62267, tagged in Costa Rica in March 2025, also returned to its 2025 wintering grounds. This individual followed a clockwise migration pattern, traveling north along the Central Flyway to breeding grounds near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and then moving south along the Great Lakes before turning to follow the Appalachian Flyway. It pinged our Kings Bridge Wildlife Conservation Area station on October 9 before reaching Costa Rica just 5 days later! Many migratory birds pause along their journeys to rest and refuel. Repeated detections of an individual at a Motus station allow us to estimate how long a bird remains in one place, known as stopover duration. Longer stopovers often indicate high-quality habitat that provides food and cover during migration. Wood Thrush #65457, tagged in Pennsylvania in August, spent at least a week in range of our Kings Bridge Station (Henderson County) between Octo- ber 3rd and 10th. The station’s antennas cover a landscape mosaic of forest, agricultural lands, and developed areas. During this stopover, the bird likely foraged on caterpillars and soft mast while using forest patches for shelter. Finally, Motus allowed us to track the migration of Wood Thrush we tagged here in western North Carolina during the 2025 breeding season to their wintering grounds. Wood Thrush #63529, an adult male, was tagged on May 22, 2025 and was last detected in Transylvania County on September 23, then reappeared at our Motus station near Highlands on October 9th. October

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Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

9 was a high-volume night for migrants, and this bird likely departed its nesting territory that evening, going undetected between late September and early October. Two days later it was detected in Belize before continuing west into Chiapas, Mexico, where it was last detected in mid-November. This individual was not alone during its journey. Five Wood Thrush tagged near Balsam Grove and Asheville in May and June were last detected in our area between October 8 and 10, then made 2- to 3-day flights to an overwintering site in Chi- apas, Mexico. These birds were detected at the Nahá Motus station, located within a large forest block in the Nahá Flora and Fauna Protection Area. This protected landscape includes montane rainforest, pine-oak forest, and lakes, interspersed with agriculture, highlighting the importance of intact tropi- cal habitats for overwintering Wood Thrush populations.

Autumn 2025 nanotag detections at the Kings Bridge Motus station in Mills River, NC.

Autumn 2025 nanotag detections at The Mountain Retreat and Learning Center Motus station near Highlands, NC.

NCWRC’s Motus stations (green cir- cles) detected nanotags deployed by migration researchers at study locations (white transmitter sym- bols) throughout the Americas, pro- viding greater detail on migratory route and timing.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Restoring Bog Habitat to Support Recovery of the Southern Lineage of Bog Turtles by Gabrielle Graeter, Wildlife Diversity Biologist, Reptiles, Western Region; and Rosie Ronca, Wildlife Technician, Reptiles, Western Region

T he southern lineage of the bog turtle ( Glyptemys muhlenber- gii ) is Threatened at both the federal (T-S/A) and state level and is pending evaluation for full federal listing via a Species Status Assessment by the USFWS. Bog turtles are listed due to several factors, with habitat loss and degradation primary driv- ers. Over the past few decades, the NCWRC reptile team has worked to support high-quality habitat for bog turtles through invasive plant species removal, woody vegetation management, and hydrological restoration. This work is especially important following the damage that some bogs incurred during Hurricane Helene, which brought disastrous flooding to the North Caro- lina mountain region in September 2024. Due to the timing of the storm, our 2024 fall habitat resto- ration plan had to be postponed as we transitioned to rapidly assessing storm impacts to the bogs. In October 2025, we were able to carry out the habitat restoration work that was planned for one year prior at three high-priority bog sites. We started the month at a Wilkes County site that features multiple wetland areas connected by a small stream. While parts of this wetland complex have open canopy bog habitat that is well suited for bog turtles, there are also sections that have become overgrown with tall woody vegetation and invasive species. This has also dried out what was once valuable habitat for foraging and

nesting. With the help of Amphibian Reptile Conservancy (ARC) staff and other volunteers, we spent three days removing alders and maples to open up the canopy in two areas. Next, we spent two days working in one section of an exten- sive wetland complex in Alleghany County. We partnered with NC Natural Heritage Program staff and other volunteers to remove more maples and maintain the core habitat dominated by herbaceous plants. Finally, we worked with partners from ARC in a Transylvania County bog to remove woody vegetation. Like the other sites, our goal was to remove alders and maples, allowing more sunlight on the ground and better water retention in the core habitat areas. However, we also worked to remove Murdannia keisak, an extremely invasive plant that grows rapidly in wetland habitats. This site has had Murdannia for many years and we have worked to manage the population through pulling, tarping, and reseed- ing with native plants. Additionally, we repaired and added log sills in locations where head-cut channels had developed or worsened during Hurricane Helene. Restoring habitat for the bog turtles is necessary for the long- term continuation of these three bog turtle populations. Through our efforts, we have ensured there is adequate suitable habitat for basking, nesting, productive foraging, and overwintering.

Before and after photo of one bog section at the Wilkes County site. Removing alders and other tall woody vegetation resulted in an additional open-canopy area, with more sunlight reaching the ground. (Tree in upper left of photos for reference.)

GABRIELLE GRAETER/NCWRC

Before (left) and after (right) image of log sill installation placed by hand by Rosie Ronca (NCWRC) and Emilly Nolan (ARC) in October 2025. Log sills are a low impact way to restore hy- drology in a bog and slow water from draining out of the wetland.

GABRIELLE GRAETER/NCWRC

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Trapping for Waterdogs! by Jeff Hall, State Herpetologist and NC Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Coordinator and Nathan Vaughan, Herpetology Technician

T he Neuse River Waterdog ( Necturus lewisi ) is a large aquatic salamander that is a federally threatened spe- cies. To assess occupancy across drainages in the Tar River, WRC staff focused on surveys for waterdogs using minnow traps. Traps are set, baited with chicken livers, and checked daily for 4 days. These are live-capture traps and do not harm the salamanders. In addition to regular trapping activities, staff collabo- rated with the NC Museum of Natural Sciences to jointly deliver a workshop for teachers called Waterdog Warriors. The group of around 15 teachers accompanied staff into the field and helped check traps, record data, and release ani- mals caught in traps. It was an excellent opportunity for teachers to get up close and personal with a rare salaman- der. In addition to the hands-on experience, the teachers take activities and lesson plans back to their classrooms to share with their students. One particularly exciting capture was in trap #2 at our second site. We had a recapture! We were trapping in the same areas Eric Teitsworth had worked during his NCSU doctoral graduate program, and we were lucky enough to recapture a waterdog he had marked 2 years ago. Eric marked them with Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE), an inert and harmless material injected just below the surface of the skin of the salamander. The VIE is illuminated when a blacklight shines on it. The recapture rate on waterdogs is extremely low, so this recapture was very exciting!

JEFF HALL/NCWRC

Above: NCWRC biologists and volunteers collect data from captured Neuse River Waterdogs. Below: Teacher workshop participants learned about Neuse River Waterdogs before they went to field sites.

JEFF HALL/NCWRC

Neuse River Waterdogs, from left to right, being measured for length, released back where it was captured, and a Visible Implant Elasto- mer illuminated with a blacklight in a recaptured Neuse River Waterdog.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

A Core Banks Atlasing Adventure

by John Carpenter, Coastal Region Landbird Biologist; Silas Hernadez, Coastal Region Assistant Landbird Biologist; and Josh Emm, NC Bird Atlas Coastal Crew Lead

T he stretch of North Carolina barrier islands, from Portsmouth Island to Cape Lookout National Seashore, is collectively known as the Core Banks. These islands are interrupted by a series of narrow, shifting inlets that connect the Pamlico Sound and Atlantic Ocean while separating the island chain into two main sections, North Core and South Core. During most of the year, private ferries shuttle visitors and their 4x4 vehicles over to the islands to enjoy the scenery and wildlife, but access essentially grinds to a halt from January-March. This isolation, along with frequent freezing temperatures, high winds, and unruly tides, has presented unique challenges to fulfilling the data collection goals of the NC Bird Atlas. There are 9 Atlas survey blocks along the Core Banks, and as of October 2025, 6 of them had zero survey effort during the winter months. This all changed in mid-November as we packed up our sleeping bags and spotting scopes and set out on a ferry across the open water. The list of species we documented was impressively long and includes rarities such as the American Barn Owl, American Bittern, American Black Duck, Cape May Warbler, Long-billed Curlew, Hudso- nian and Marbled Godwits, Piping Plover, Saltmarsh and Nelson’s Sparrows, Sedge Wren, White-winged Scoter, and Virginia Rail. At one point during the trip, we stood on the beach, baffled by the ridicu- lously large number of Double-crested Cormorants we saw near and far and in every direction. These Core Bank Atlas blocks, now all nearly fulfilling our criteria for completion, would still benefit from a second visit (which we will attempt in early 2026), but it’s hard to imagine our Core Banks trip going any better than it did!

JOSH EMM/NCWRC

Cape May Warbler

JOSH EMM/NCWRC

Saltmarsh Sparrow

Double-crested Cormorant

JOSH EMM/NCWRC

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

What We Are Learning About the Elusive Black Rail From a Dry Year by Kacy Cook, Waterbird Biologist and Brooke Callisto, Waterbird Technician

T he low amounts of precipitation and lack of major storms during 2025 provided an opportunity to gain insight into Black Rail habitat use during a period in which water levels in coastal marshes were relatively low through most of the breeding season. We conducted Black Rail call-response surveys at 17 points, 4 to 5 times each, in or near unburned (not burned in at least 10 years), high elevation coastal marsh. We only detected Black Rails at 2 points. These 2 points were on the edge of fairly large pools with some standing water and a diversity of high marsh herbaceous plant species. The points with no detections were in high marsh at pools with no standing water, in more narrow coastal marsh with no obvious pools, or in wide marsh with pools dominated by sawgrass (Cladium), where herbaceous plant diversity was low. Analyzing the audio recording data from 26 Autonomous Recording Units (ARUs) that were deployed throughout the 2025 Black Rail breeding season produced a variety of results. No Black Rail detections were recorded by any of the 8 ARUs deployed at Swanquarter National Wildlife Refuge (SQNWR) in an unburned sawgrass dominated marsh covered in standing water. Black Rail calls were detected on 2 dates by 1 ARU placed adjacent to high elevation marsh dominated by saltmeadow cordgrass at SQNWR. An area of unburned high marsh with a diversity of plants and an area of mid-elevation marsh dom- inated by black needlerush, both known to support a population of Black Rails, produced multiple Black Rail calls at each of 6 ARU points. At a different unburned site, Black Rail calls were detected at 8 of 11 ARU points in marsh dominated by black needlerush in the interior of the marsh near high marsh herbaceous vegetation and pools with standing water. One of these 8 points had only 1 Black Rail call and it was in high marsh near the forest edge in an area without pools. The 3 points without calls were at pools within black needlerush-dominated marsh, but not near high marsh vegetation or were at the sound-edge of the marsh. We look forward to continuing surveys and monitoring of Black Rails to better understand the role of water levels, fire, and annual precipitation pat- terns play in the presence of this cryptic species.

Technician Brooke Calisto conducting BLRA veg surveys.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

JOEY WEBER/NCWRC

Wildlife Diversity Biologist, Katherine Etchison removes storm debris from a bat roost in Madison County.

2025 Post-Tropical Storm Helene Gray Bat Efforts Conclude

by Katherine Etchison, Bat Biologist

I n November 2025, NCWRC staff worked alongside U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) biologists to clear debris from an important Gray Bat bridge roost. NCDOT staff facilitated this effort by operating a hydra platform so biologists could access the crevices under the bridge that bats roost in, which are roughly 20 feet above the ground. Many of these crevices were blocked by storm debris, which reduced the roosting space for bats in the bridge. Now that the crevices are clear, bats will have greater roost space when they return in Spring. NCWRC biologists finished post-Helene Gray Bat roost sur- veys in October and removed post-Helene bat detectors from the field that were initially deployed in March 2025. All roost survey and acoustic survey data will be analyzed by collaborators to bet- ter understand the impact of Tropical Storm Helene on Gray Bats. Although North Carolina populations took a hit because of Hurri- cane Helene, Gray Bats, listed as federally endangered in 1976, have shown significant population increases because of cave hibernaculum protections. So much so, the most recent 5-year review by the USFWS recommended delisting the species.

KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC

Above: The Madison Coun- ty bridge roost in November 2024. Left: Wildlife Diversity Technician, Joey Weber, removes a post-Helene bat detector from the field in Haywood County.

KATHERINE ETCHISON/NCWRC

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Studying Timber Harvest Effects on Green Salamanders and Their Micro-climate by Lori Williams, Western Region Amphibian Biologist

S ince 2021, staff and partners with the U.S. Forest Service (Nantahala National Forest) and more recently with Tangled Bank Conservation, have conducted research in Jackson County on effects of timber harvest on state threatened Green Salamanders ( Aneides aeneus ) and their rock outcrop habi- tats. It is well known that Green Salamanders thrive in mature forests and require rock outcrops that are shaded, cool, humid, and have trees and shrubs nearby that maintain this microclimate and that they can climb for shelter, foraging, and dispersal. A timber harvest that does not protect, or buffer, Green Salamander sites could have detrimental effects on those habitats by extreme shifts in environmental conditions and loss of surrounding woody stems. Thus, the main goal of this long-term study is to investigate potential buffer widths, or unharvested forest patches surrounding rock outcrops, needed to maintain microclimate and other habitat conditions so the local Green Salamander population can persist over time, especially in the early years after a mature forest is cut. For our research, examples of field methods we have used include: moni- toring salamander presence in multiple searches of rock outcrops per spring and fall season; recording microclimate conditions at rock habitats; and, deploying Maxim Hygrochron™ iButton® data loggers affixed to leave trees (i.e., unharvested, mature trees that will provide seedlings for regeneration). These data logger stations are placed at various intervals and proceed in a transect from outside of the timber cuts, running toward the center of the units, to simulate different buffer sizes for Green Salamander habitats. The stations start at known Green Salamander rock outcrops, and data loggers are programmed to record ambient conditions hourly, such as air temperature (ºC) and air relative humidity (%). Staff were unable to visit the study sites in late 2024 and early 2025 due to the timber harvest occurring, along with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. However, in November 2025, the first fall season post-harvest, staff and part- ners resumed repeated monitoring of Green Salamanders, data collection, and maintenance of the data loggers. Partners with Tangled Bank Conserva- tion documented 5 new Green Salamander rock outcrops in or on the edge of the timber units and a sixth site nearby. One of the new sites was a very small rock outcrop, likely a temporary or transitory habitat for a Green Salamander, and a site that will be interesting to monitor over time. It was near the middle of one of the timber units, in full sun, and buried in downed slash. Currently in the post-harvest phase of the project, staff and partners will continue to monitor these new sites and all the, now, 28 known rock outcrops where Green Salamanders have been found in or around these timber units. Before 2021 and during planning for this project, we only knew of 5 Green Salamander sites there. Documenting all these new sites in recent years has already made one aspect of this project a success.

LORI WILLIAMS/NCWRC

AIDEN PHILLIPS AND RIAN BURRIS/TANGLED BANK CONSERVATION

Top: A new Maxim™ Hygrochron iButton® data log- ger (silver disc in black fob) inside homemade, plas- tic housing and attached to trees; it is programmed to record air temperature ( º C) and relative humidity (%) hourly. Middle: Downloading air temperature ( º C) and relative humidity (%) data from an iButton®. Bot- tom: An adult Green Salamander ( Aneides aeneus ), state threatened species, out on rock ledge; found during fall 2025 monitoring.

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Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

LORI WILLIAMS/NCWRC

Left to Right: Fall 2025, post-harvest, an iButton® station still attached to a leave tree. Wildlife Diversity technician, Ben Dalton, preparing to return an iButton® to its station, pre-harvest.

LORI WILLIAMS/NCWRC

Left to Right: A known Green Salamander rock outcrop and the start of a transect of iButton® data loggers in trees; the transect runs from here toward the center of the timber cut. A new, hidden Green Salamander site found in fall 2025, post-harvest; the site has no shade and is cov- ered in downed slash. The suitable part of the site for Green Salamanders is a tiny area at the top, shown with a flashlight for size reference.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Extended Non-nesting Period For a Loggerhead Sea Turtle

by Matthew Godfrey, Sea Turtle Biologist and Sarah Finn, Sea Turtle Stranding Coordinator

S ea turtles are prolific breeders, laying multiple clutches of more than 100 eggs each during a single nesting season. They are also capital breeders, relying on their stored fat reserves to supply them with the energy needed to nest repeatedly during the breeding season. For this reason, adult female sea turtles usually require time to build up sufficient energy reserves for reproduc- tion and thus, typically lay eggs only every second or third year. In July 2025, a loggerhead female was documented nesting twice on Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Eggshells from both nests were collected to check the DNA fingerprint for this turtle against known nesters in NC, SC, GA and Northern FL (the Northern Recovery Unit). This analysis revealed that the last time she had been documented nesting was in June 2011, on Cape Lookout National Seashore. It is interesting that this turtle delayed 14 years between nesting seasons and demonstrates that long- term monitoring can reveal unexpected behaviors. Another possi- bility is that this turtle nested outside of the range of detection during her 14-year “disappearance”, but that too is interesting as it reinforces our recent understanding that nesting beach fidelity in some sea turtles is more relaxed than previously thought.

Loggerhead female CC003813 that had a 14-year break between nesting seasons in North Carolina.

Loggerhead sea turtle nesting crawl on Cape Lookout National Seashore.

MATTHEW GODFREY/NCWRC

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Technical Assistance

Staff have provided technical assistance to multiple community groups, local governments, and public utility providers. These orga- nizations include:

• Uwharrie Point Community Wildlife Conservation Program – a subdivision community program that works to establish pol- linator habitat, nesting boxes for multiple species, wildlife occurrence data, and restoration and maintenance of wetlands throughout the community. • Orange Water and Sewer Authority – conservation recommendations for practices within utility rights-of-ways. • First Tee – a nonprofit organization working to involve children and teens in underserved communities in golf. First Tee has acquired property that they would also like to establish an environmental education program for communities and hope to restore and maintain wetland and pine communities on the property. • The NC State University NC Clean Energy Technology Center – The NC Clean Energy Technology Center is updating their NC Model Ordinances for local governments looking to establish or update ordinances for solar development projects in their jurisdiction. • Town of Pittsboro - recommendations on the Chatham Park South Village Small Area Plan • Town of Apex - recommendations on the development of Apex’s comprehensive plan update • Guilford County – recommendations on their updated landscaping ordinance and manual • Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization – recommendations on an ongoing effort to develop a wildlife crossings plan for the Raleigh-area • NC Chapter of the American Planning Association (NCAPA) – collaborated with Stewart (a planning consultant firm) and Southern Environmental Law Center t put on a session on conservation-based land use planning for the annual NCAPA con- ference in Charlotte • Interagency Resilience Team – provided a presentation on WRC’s resiliency efforts to the state’s council on resiliency that meets quarterly

Partners for Green Growth

Recipients of the Partners for Green Growth cost-share program in 2024 and 2025 have been moving forward with their projects, with two projects in the final stages of completion.

• The Town of Brevard has submitted an initial draft of their Green Growth Audit and Implementation Guide that reviews resources in the town, an audit of their UDO as it pertains to conservation and sustainability, and future implementation steps. • Pender County has completed and submitted a Preferred Development Guide intended to guide future development away from sensitive natural resources and promote conservation. Pender County’s project is in the process of close-out. • Union County has completed their Rural Land Use Plan. Next steps for the county include drafting ordinance language and a Conservation Subdivision Brochure. • Buncombe County has kicked off their project with a public meeting to guide the Swannanoa Small Area Plan. Their public meeting had high attendance, and participants were enthusiastic about integrating conservation into the future of Swannanoa. • Chatham County has made progress on the development of a web-based conservation implementation tracker to share prog- ress on the conservation goals, actions, and activities identified in their comprehensive plan.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Resilience Strategy

Habitat Conservation staff led the development of the agency’s second iteration of a NCWRC Resilience Strategy. This plan identifies 45 strategies that agency takes or could take to increase resiliency of our wildlife, contribute towards the state’s greenhouse gases emission reduction targets, and ensure continued access to NCWRC infrastructure in face of changing climatic conditions. The strategy represents a cross-collaborative planning effort between Engineering Services, Inland Fisheries, Habitat Conservation, Land and Water Access, Wildlife Management, Conservation Policy and Analysis, Communications, Marketing, and Digital Engagement, and Law Enforcement. The strategy was submitted to NC Department of Environmental Quality to be included as part of the annual reports provided by state cabinet agencies.

Conservation Partnerships

Staff are actively involved in several conservation partnerships around North Carolina. Partnerships with notable involvement include the Triangle Connectivity Collaborative, Chatham Conservation Partnership, Natural and Working Lands Steering Commit- tee, Onslow Bight Conservation Forum, the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS), NC Bat Working Group, NC Sandhills Conservation Partnership, NC Chapter of The Wildlife Society, and the Eastern North Carolina Sen- tinel Landscape Partnership. Over the last quarter: • Staff has been active in planning the NC Chapter of The Wildlife Society’s Annual Meeting. • Staff are assisting the Onslow Bight Conservation Forum in organizing their Private Lands Working Group and developing an outreach and technical assistance program for private landowners in the Onslow Bight. • Staff is working with NC Sandhills Conservation Partnership to plan a meeting themed around land use planning and conser- vation, with plans to invite local governments within the NCSCP to participate. • Staff facilitated a quarterly Triangle Connectivity Collaborative meeting on local government land use initiatives. • The Natural and Working Lands Steering Committee completed the 2024 update to the state’s Natural and Working Lands Action Plan, as mandated by Executive Order 305. This plan guides the state in using natural and working lands to increase resiliency of our state to climate change and to use these lands to store and sequester greenhouse gases. NCWRC is listed as a partner in implementation of many of the state’s goal and strategies.

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

COOPERATIVE LAND CONSERVATION

Western NCDOT Bats

The coordinator participated with USFWS and NCDOT staff in the construction of potential bat roost openings in shot-crete abut- ment wall being constructed on I-40 bridge replacement in Haywood County. NCDOT Division 14 staff developed the idea as a means of providing bat roost mitigation in lieu of conventional bat boxes attached to bridge substructures.

Aquatic Passage

In coordination with Mountain Region DIF staff, installed new flexible baffles in one barrel of a 90’ dual barrel culvert crossing in Powers Branch on NC 261 in Mitchell County to facilitate upstream brook trout movements (see photos). Staff also conducted a post-Helene evaluation of the condition of flexible baffles in a culvert in Maine Branch in Watauga County, installed in 2024 to facilitate upstream brook trout movements. The baffles sustained only minor damage from the flood, requiring only about one hour of repair work (i.e. attachment screw replacement). In response to requests from NCDOT and the US Army Corps of Engineers, staff also assisted with trout distribution map revisions to provide more refined regulatory guidance.

DAVID McHENRY

Wildlife Diversity Program Quarterly Report for October–December 2025

Aquatic Organism Passage/Culvert Assessment Project

Jacob Freedman continued to work on the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Fish Passage Program grant in the Neuse and Tar river basins. By the end of December, exactly 400 culverts were assessed using the Southeastern Aquatic Resources Partnership (SARP) protocol, meeting the grant goal, with 285 assessments occurring during this quarter. Most of the crossing data can be seen on SARP’s Aquatic Barrier Inventory and Prioritization Tool; some still needs to go through SARP’s quality control process before being posted online. Following the conclusion of fieldwork, a summary report will be generated which will include analysis on which culvert char- acteristics correlated most strongly with passability scores. In 2026, work will begin on the second aquatic passage assessment grant mentioned in the third quarter report. This grant is funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and emphasizes 1500 culvert assessments within the range used by river her- ring and other anadromous species on the Coastal Plain of NC. In addition, a third grant, also from NFWF, will fund an additional 800 culvert assessments as part of a larger longleaf pine ecosystem initiative on Sentinel Lands in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain of NC. These three grants combined will fill in a wide area of existing data gaps regarding aquatic organism passage at road crossings across eastern North Carolina.

JACOB FREEDMAN

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