Mecklenburg County Blog

Category: Animals and Wildlife

Animals and Wildlife Health and Safety

Learn the Top Three Rabies Carriers and How to Avoid Them

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North Carolina hasn’t had a reported human case of rabies since 1955 thanks to public health efforts and monitoring. We have a team in our Public Health department that actively monitors rabies, a serious viral disease that can be fatal if not treated quickly.  Ongoing surveillance by Public Health investigators helps prevent potential exposures and ensures timely treatment for individuals who may have been exposed. 

To help keep our community safe, it’s important to be aware of animals that can carry rabies. 

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Animals and Wildlife Environment Recreation

Nature at Night: Debunking Myths About Four Nocturnal Species

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Every fall, nights grow longer and trees transform into bare skeletons. The witching hour brings eerie sounds from unknown creatures. But Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation nature centers are dispelling myths about nocturnal species and things that go bump in the night.

What do you know about the county’s native creatures that roam in the dark? Let’s look at four often-misunderstood species spotted at night.

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Animals and Wildlife Environment

Deer Hunting for Healthy Habitats

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For about 30 years, volunteers have hunted at Mecklenburg County nature preserves to manage the deer population. 

It’s not recreation. It’s a science-based stewardship of local wildlife and the environment. 

“We’re taking a biological approach to this,” said Christa Rogers, natural resources manager for Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation. “We’re making the deer population healthier and making the vegetation and plant population healthier.” 

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Animals and Wildlife

Here Comes the Hummingbird: Facts, Feeding and a Festival

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It’s August. Summer camps are over. School hasn’t yet started. The weather outside is still fine, and the family is antsy for outdoor activity to help fill the gap. Enter: Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation’s Hummingbird Week.

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Animals and Wildlife Health and Safety

Everything You Need to Know About Rabies

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Here are some words of wisdom: DON’T TOUCH A RACCOON, FOX, BAT OR ANY OTHER WILD ANIMAL. I don’t care if the bat reminds you of a superhero or if the baby raccoon batted its eyes at you. 

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk rabies. Why? Because somewhere out there, there’s someone who thinks it’s safe to play with these fake friends.

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Animals and Wildlife Around Town

Find Some Zen in Nature

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Let’s all take a moment to slowwwww down. Some of the best places to do that in Mecklenburg County are free. Today, we’re going to focus on our Park and Recreation nature preserves. The County manages more than 7,600 acres of nature preserves, protecting our natural resources. If you’ve never been to one, you’re missing out, but we’re going to give you a little preview.  

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Animals and Wildlife Around Town Recreation

Latta Nature Preserve: What’s There to Do? (A Lotta!)

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Get it? Latta, a lotta? 

The real story is not about my bad pun but how many fun activities there are available at Latta Nature Preserve in Huntersville. It’s actually one of my favorite nature preserves in the County. Warning: Siri or Google Maps may try to trick you. When you get there, you want to go through the big gate, not the private drive.  

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Animals and Wildlife

A Very Big Snake Misunderstanding

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Wildlife. We all play a role in its preservation and protection. And sometimes that means protecting things we may not be really crazy about. Can you think of an animal or insect you’d rather not come across on one of our trails? For me, there are a few. But, there’s one answer we hear a lot: SNAKES!

Snakes, birds, bugs, and plants are just some of the wildlife you’ll come across in one of our nature preserves. Sometimes, that even means you’ll see them on the trails. And it’s all by design! Unlike parks, which focus primarily on recreation, nature preserves help promote natural areas within city limits. This is great for us humans. It means we don’t have to travel outside of our city and towns to have access to nature. But, it also helps to protect our wildlife and the natural biodiversity in the area. And that’s important for a rich, functional ecosystem.

So how do we respect snakes AND stay safe on the trails?

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