Outdoor Youth Science Program ecoEXPLORE Celebrates 100,000 Observations
This month, The North Carolina Arboretum and ecoEXPLORE celebrates 100,000 observations of wild plants and animals taken by North Carolina youth and submitted to iNaturalist. In celebration, the Arboretum is inviting everyone to pitch in on selecting the top 10 photos by voting in this poll. The deadline to participate is Sept. 1.
Word from the Smokies: Armadillos make a home in the Smokies
With their tough, leathery shells, unique digging habits and pattern of giving birth to identical quadruplets, nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) are full of quirks. These solitary creatures are skilled burrowers and surprisingly adaptable — so much so that they’ve expanded their range to include some of the highest elevations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
