wildlife officials

Wildlife managers report bear conflicts at unprecedented levels in south-central Montana, with more bears entering occupied areas in search of food. Officials are urging residents to secure attractants like garbage, pet food and livestock feed as encounters continue to rise. The surge has drawn attention across regional media, with coverage from Yellowstone Public Radio and Montana Public Radio.

A wild screwworm fly has been found in Texas, the first detection there since the current outbreak began. The parasitic fly, whose larvae infest the wounds of warm-blooded animals, poses a serious threat to livestock and wildlife. The discovery will raise concern among ranchers and agricultural officials monitoring the pest's northward spread from Mexico.

A cougar is on the loose around Wôlinak, the Abenaki community near Bécancour in Quebec. Le Nouvelliste reports the sighting, and residents are being urged to stay alert and keep pets close while the animal remains in the area. Wildlife officials typically advise against approaching the animal and to report any further sightings.

A hunter has won Florida's annual Python Challenge after capturing what organisers called an astonishing number of Burmese pythons. The competition, run by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, invites the public to hunt the invasive snakes in the Everglades, where they devastate native wildlife. Officials praised the winning total as a significant contribution to protecting the ecosystem.

California wildlife officers have arrested three people for illegally hunting deer in Angeles National Forest. The arrests were reported by local outlets including CBS News and Patch, drawing attention to poaching enforcement in the popular forest north of Los Angeles. Officials have not detailed the suspects' identities or the circumstances of the arrests, but the case highlights ongoing efforts to protect wildlife from unlawful hunting in California's protected areas.

The site of a housing project that Davis rejected, proposed by Village Farms, is now under investigation by a state wildlife agency. The inquiry comes after local officials turned down the development, and it raises questions about environmental or habitat concerns tied to the property. Details about what triggered the investigation or what it could mean for the land's future have not been released.

Fish and Wildlife officials are encouraging hunters to use non-lead ammunition. Lead bullets can fragment on impact and poison scavenging wildlife such as eagles and vultures, and can also pose health risks to people eating game meat. Officials are promoting alternatives like copper bullets as safer for animals and humans alike.

A large bear has been roaming through an Altadena neighborhood repeatedly, drawing attention from local news and residents. NBC Los Angeles reported that the animal continues to move through the area rather than leaving after a single sighting. Encounters like this typically prompt warnings from authorities urging people to keep distance, secure trash, and report sightings to wildlife officials.

A bear broke into a residence in Asheville, North Carolina, prompting local wildlife officials to renew warnings that residents secure food, trash and other attractants. Officials say such break-ins become more common when bears can easily access human food, and they are asking the public to take precautions to avoid encouraging bears into neighborhoods.

A hunter in central Wyoming has reportedly harvested an animal that wildlife officials believe may be an extremely rare crossbreed between a pronghorn antelope and a mule deer. The animal was taken on Saturday. Such hybrids are exceptionally uncommon, as the two species differ genetically, and officials are expected to examine the animal to confirm its unusual parentage.

A student editorial argues that Pierce College should install hydration stations for wildlife on campus. The piece frames water access for local animals as a responsibility the institution should take on, and it is circulating as the most visible item on the topic. No indication yet of an official response from the college.

Two mountain marmots were spotted separately in San Francisco and Antioch in September, far from their usual alpine habitat, after apparently hitching rides on vehicles. The unusual appearances in urban Bay Area locations puzzled wildlife officials and residents, raising questions about how the animals traveled and whether more stowaway marmots could show up in the region.

A new study concludes that the proposed Clark Ranch development near Park City, Utah, would permanently displace some wildlife in the area. The finding adds an environmental dimension to local debate over the project, as residents and officials weigh the development's housing and economic benefits against its lasting impact on animal habitats in the region.

Tennessee's wildlife agency reports that more than 60 bears were killed in 2026 due to conflicts with humans. The figure highlights growing tensions between the state's expanding bear population and residents, particularly where bears seek food near homes and campsites. Officials typically urge people to secure trash and remove attractants to prevent bears from becoming a danger and having to be put down.