Posts by Bates Whitaker
Flocks, Families, and Colonies: Exploring Communal Wildlife Species
“All ethics so far evolved rest upon a single premise: that the individual is a member of a community of interdependent parts… The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of…
Read MoreNCWF Announces 8th Annual Photo Contest Winners
Photographers across the state perfectly captured the beauty and diversity of our state’s natural resources for North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s 8th Annual Wildlife Photography and Videography Contest. NCWF received nearly…
Read MoreNCWF In The Field – September, 2026
North Carolina Wildlife Federation staff and Community Wildlife Chapters connected 2,243 people to nature through 65 wildlife and habitat events and activities in September, including: Clearing nearly 14 acres of…
Read MoreWildlife Scavengers: Nature’s Cleanup Crews
When we think of wildlife, we often picture songbirds, squirrels, maybe some pollinators, or the ever-present white-tailed deer – species that, in spite of significant changes to their habitats in…
Read MoreStranger Than Fiction: Reframing the “Weird” and “Disturbing” in Wildlife
When movie directors want to invent terrifying monsters, they usually start with basic horror tropes: creatures that regenerate lost limbs, spray toxic chemicals, live inside host bodies, control minds, or…
Read MoreNCWF In The Field – August, 2026
North Carolina Wildlife Federation staff and Community Wildlife Chapters connected 1,328 people to nature through 50 wildlife and habitat events and activities in August, including: Clearing nearly 3 acres of…
Read MoreRestoring and Connecting Habitat Where Wildlife Needs it Most – Chantilly Ecological Sanctuary
When people think about wildlife habitat, many may picture vast mountain forests, grasslands, or coastal marshes. But some of North Carolina’s most important conservation work is happening in the heart…
Read MoreMoths: The Night Shift of Pollination – A Look at NCWF’s Moth Nights
When we think of pollinators, butterflies and bees are usually the first to come to mind. Many are bright, beautifully patterned, and easy to notice as they flit and buzz…
Read MoreWorking the Night Shift – Nocturnal Wildlife in North Carolina
Take a step outside on a misty, dew-drenched spring morning, and a group of robins might startle into flight as they root through the damp soil for earthworms. In the…
Read MoreA Landmark Victory for North Carolina’s Fisheries: Court rules North Carolina violated legal duty to protect coastal fisheries
After a multi-week trial, Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins has ruled that the State of North Carolina failed to meet its constitutional obligation to protect the state’s fisheries. This…
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