Wildlife

Extra hunting seasons are designed to help stop the spread of chronic wasting disease in deer, but a Missouri county was added to the list where it has been confirmed.

Doctors who treat eating disorders in Kansas City are seeing more cases among younger people. But resources for "accepting" treatments are not meeting the demand. Plus: Wildlife in the Midwest and Great Plains are suffering from persistent drought.

Drought has scorched much of the Midwest and Great Plains for the last four years. It has destroyed crops and sparked wildfires. Wildlife is also reckoning with the dry conditions – which can change animal behavior and even push species out of some regions.

Hunting deer and other animals remains a popular hobby and way of life in Kansas and Missouri. KCUR's guide will help you learn the basics of how to get your permit, where to hunt, how to hunt safely, and how to navigate local hunting regulations.

Scientists have uncovered surprisingly little about copperhead snakes, until now. A six-year study on copperheads at Powder Valley has gained new insight on their population size, how they move through their environment, and more.

A federal program kills hundreds of thousands of wild animals a year — like cowbirds in Missouri and prairie dogs in Kansas. Documents obtained by NPR show that many of those animals were killed in places where no damage to livestock was reported.

Conservationists and cattle ranchers are working together to restore grassland for the lesser prairie chicken. The bird used to roam Kansas, but has lost most of its habitat to crop production.

Since 1990, the St. Louis Zoo has played an instrumental role in bringing Tahitian snails back from the brink of extinction.

Fall is mating season for deer, which often causes them to cross busy streets and stand in roads. "One wreck can alter numerous lives, especially if you're not prepared, or not ready, or if you're just flat not paying attention," notes one county sheriff.

Alligator snapping turtles are the biggest freshwater turtle in North America, sporting jagged, pointy shells, and a hooked beak. But these prehistoric-looking creatures haven't been seen in Kansas since 1991.

The eagle has undergone three surgeries at the World Bird Sanctuary after being found shot in the beak in central Missouri. It also had an injured wing and lead poisoning.

Peanut is a notable example of how plastic pollution can harm wildlife — and how an individual animal’s story can be a powerful tool in promoting social change.