2025 Wildlife Diversity Program Annual Report
NCPARC ........................................................................................................................................53 MAMMALS .....................................................................................................................................56 Woodrats in Western North Carolina ..............................................................................................56 Post-Hurricane Helene Bat Surveys Begin ....................................................................................... 57 Post-Hurricane Helene Bat Surveys Show Reduced Gray Bat Counts ..............................................58 Counts of Gray Bats Down Following Hurricane Helene .................................................................59 2025 Post-Tropical Storm Helene Gray Bat Efforts Conclude ..........................................................60 FISHES ..........................................................................................................................................61 Robust Redhorse Sampling and Propagation .................................................................................61 Monitoring the Movement and Habitat Use of Stocked Carolina Madtoms in Sandy Creek ................62 Hurricane Helene Monitoring and Woody Debris Technical Guidance in the Foothills Region of the Aquatic Wildlife Diversity Program ........................................................................63 Fish Populations in the Nolichucky River Basin Showing Signs of Resilience in First Year Since Hurricane Helene .....................................................................................................64 Aquatic Species Surveys to Inform Habitat Suitability For Rare Aquatic Species ................................. 65 Lake Waccamaw Fish and Mussel Monitoring Surveys ..................................................................... 66 Cape Fear Shiner Broodstock Collection ......................................................................................... 66 Rare Coastal Fishes Surveys .......................................................................................................... 67 MOLLUSKS ....................................................................................................................................68 Development of Genetic Tools to Aid in the Restoration of Two Federally Endangered Mussel Species, the Tar River Spinymussel and Yellow Lance ...................................................... 68 New Hope Creek Mussel Relocation ..............................................................................................69 Updating the Distribution of Brook Floater Following Hurricane Helene...........................................70 HABITAT MANAGEMENT ................................................................................................................71 Wildlife Passage ...........................................................................................................................71 Green Growth Toolbox ..................................................................................................................71 NC Wildlife Action Plan ................................................................................................................72 Partners for Green Growth ............................................................................................................73 Resilience Strategy ......................................................................................................................73 Conservation Partnerships ...........................................................................................................73 Technical Assistance ....................................................................................................................74 Partners for Green Growth ............................................................................................................74 Cooperative Land Conservation ....................................................................................................75 Conservation Partnerships ...........................................................................................................76 Barrier Removal and Assessment .................................................................................................77 Western NCDOT: Bats ..................................................................................................................78 Aquatic Passage ..........................................................................................................................78 Aquatic Organism Passage/Culvert Assessment Project .................................................................79
Cover photos from top left clockwise: Cope's Gray Treefrog, photo by Aubrey Heupel Greene; Nathan Vaughn, NCWRC, with captured Neuse River Waterdogs, photo by Jeff Hall; Copperhead crossing a road in the Sandhills, photo by Aubrey Heupel Greene; Pileated Woodpeckers photographed during NC Bird Atlas survey, photo by Jay Wherley.
3 2025 WILDLIFE DIVERSITY PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT
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