COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



N.C. Develops 

 Wildlife Plan 



What is being done about the 

 robust redhorse or mole salamander — two 

 North Carolina species of special concern? 



The State Wildlife Grants (SWG) 

 program, created by Congress in 2001 as 

 a branch of the Conservation Trust Fund, 

 provides federal funding to each state and 

 territory to support cost-effective conserva- 

 tion with the goal of preventing wildlife 

 from endangerment. 



The grants call for statewide 

 Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Plans 

 -due by October 2005. 



North Carolina holds a $1 .7 million 

 share of funding — out of $80 million pro- 

 posed for the 2005 budget — to be utilized 

 by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission 

 (WRC). Efforts must focus on the "species 

 in greatest need of conservation." Generally 

 these are nongame species not supported 

 by recreational fees and taxes. 



Species review committees guided by 

 WRC and composed of North Carolina 

 wildlife experts helped to compile a list of 

 more than 300 species. 



The comprehen- 

 sive wildlife plan is slated 

 for completion byjuly 

 2005. Stakeholders 

 will review the plan and 

 provide input. 



Funds from SWG 

 have supported a variety 

 of projects in North 

 Carolina, including 

 research on beach 

 nesting birds. To find 

 out more about the 

 wildlife plan, visit WRC's 

 Web site at www.wildlife. 

 state.nc.us. Click on the 

 link to Wildlife Species and Conservation 

 and navigate to the N.C. Comprehensive 

 Wildlife Conservation Plan page. 



-LL 



Turtle Trails Project Studies Loggerheads 



Res 



esearchers at the N.C. 

 Aquarium at Roanoke Island — in 

 collaboration with the Network for 

 Endangered Sea Turtles (NEST), 

 N.C. Wildlife Resources Commis- 

 sion and North Carolina State 

 University's College of Veterinary 

 Medicine — are developing the 

 Turtle Trails project to study the 

 post-release movements of 14 juve- 

 nile loggerhead sea turtles treated 

 for cold stunning. 



"We've been rehabilitating 

 cold-stunned sea turtles for many 

 years, but never knew whether our 

 efforts were effective," saysjoanne 

 Harcke, conservation and research 

 coordinator for the Roanoke Island aquarium. 



Some loggerhead sea turtles suffer from 

 cold stunning, or extended hypothermia, along 

 North Carolina's coast each winter. While 

 most juvenile loggerheads migrating to warmer 

 waters have passed through North Carolina 

 sounds byjanuary, some stay for the winter. 

 These turtles may face trouble when 



water temperatures plummet, 

 especially in the shallow sounds. 



Scientists don't know why 

 some loggerheads suffer from 

 cold stunning while others do 

 not. Susceptible turtles become 

 lethargic, float to the surface 

 of the water and are found 

 stranded on beaches. If properly 

 cared for, these loggerheads 

 are likely to recover and can be 

 returned to the wild. 



The NEST rehabilitation 

 facility, based at the Roanoke 

 Island aquarium, provides care 

 and release for many affected 

 loggerheads. 

 Rehabilitated turtles are tagged with 

 satellite transmitters and released into coastal 

 waters where their movements are followed 

 and studied. 



To view research logs, tracking maps, 

 tag-and-release photos, and teaching activi- 

 ties, visit the new Turtle Trails site at www. 

 ncacfuariums.com/turtletrails. — LL 



NCCATAdds 

 Ocracoke Campus 



T, 



I he former U.S. Coast Guard Station 

 in Ocracoke is getting a facelift. 



After a $5 million renovation by the 

 state of North Carolina, the historic structure 

 will be used as an eastern outpost for the 

 N.C. Center for the Advancement of Teach- 

 ing (NCCAT). 



The three-story facility will serve as a 

 residential education center, where teachers 

 at all levels can attend support seminars. 



NCCAT has provided professional 

 development seminars for teachers at loca- 

 tions throughout the state for almost 20 years. The center's main campus in Cullowhee serves more 

 than 6,000 North Carolina educators each year. 



With a new facility, the center will be able to serve more teachers. To find out more about 

 NCCAT, visit the Web: www.nccat.org. — A.G. 



4 HIGH SEASON 2004 



