WILDLIFE

A bear in the backyard was an unexpected visitor for some Star City neighborhoods and nearby Round Hill Elementary.

You may have noticed a lot of fawns, or baby deer, starting to pop up around the area. While your first instinct might be wanting to swoop in and come to their rescue, experts are actually urging that you leave them alone.

It’s that time of year where bears are out and about again, some of them making their way to local neighborhoods.

It’s a sad ending for a rescued black bear cub.

A young Black Bear cub was found on the ground Sunday in Bedford County. The cub was taken to the Wildlife Center of Virginia for treatment.

A return to the wild – that’s the goal for five rescued and orphaned bear cubs staying at the Wildlife Center of Virginia.

Applications opened on Feb. 1 for the 2023 Elk Hunt Lottery, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

Animal observing at a zoo or aquarium are popular activities for many, but some have decided to take it to a new level.

Elk have been reintroduced in Virginia, and after ten years, biologists are calling it a success story.

Two Great-horned owls are returning to the wilderness after their habitat was destroyed.

Radar technology can help determine between what's rain and what's not

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 9, the zoo will be throwing a giant birthday party to celebrate.

The series focuses on wildlife native to Virginia – especially the rescues that come into the Wildlife Center.

After this mix-up, you should take a bit of extra caution before handling a wild animal.

Experts warn they can be a literal death trap.

The United States Department of Agriculture is on a mission to prevent rabies from spreading in Southwest Virginia.

Though it’s only July, the total number of Florida manatee deaths in 2021 has already reached a higher total than it did in all of 2020, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources gave an update Tuesday regarding the mortality event affecting birds across multiple states.

Some baby birds are safe thanks to a Christiansburg citizen and the Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center.

They’re both harness-trained, although Ross is a little more used to it than Chandler, DeMay said. “Tegus are super intelligent animals,” Songer said. Kon Kon, a kookaburraKon Kon (Photo provided by SeaQuest)This 3-year-old male is known for his loud laughs, which the SeaQuest staff adores. They mainly call out to mark their territory, but Kon Kon will do it if he’s excited, too. Songer said Kon Kon will even do a special call when he’s accepting people into his territory, which they love hearing throughout the day.

The Wildlife Center of Virginia has rescued 19 black bear cubs this year and now needs help to make sure they survive. Combined, they eat about 200 pounds of food a day to prepare for the winter; however, the supply of nearly expired produce from grocery stores cannot keep up with demand. “They eat so much as they’re growing, but particularly this time of year in the fall they’re fattening up for the winter, for the lean months when there’s not as much food availability in the wild,” said Alex Wehrung, the center’s outreach coordinator. The Waynesboro-area nonprofit is asking for acorns, black walnuts, hickories and chestnuts, as well as fruits, vegetables and eggs. Instead of a food item, you give financially to help feed these bear cubs.

ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – A local wildlife rescue center says someone broke into their facility, cut their security cameras and defaced their property on Friday night. The Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center of Roanoke shared an update on their Facebook page on Monday night. According to the center, someone broke onto their property and cut their security cameras. The center also said an animal that was recovering in a cage is now missing after the cage was disturbed. They’re asking anyone with information to call the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at 1-800-237-5712.