Wildlife Conservation

Eastern whip-poor-wills are nocturnal birds and can be spotted throughout Missouri between April and September. But the beloved species, a mainstay of Midwest folklore, has been declining steadily for decades.

On hikes after dark in the fall, visitors to Hannibal, Missouri, can see swarms of endangered Indiana bats arriving at their largest hibernation site.

Missouri's bear hunting season started Oct. 17. Even though the bear population is coming back in Missouri, habitat destruction and overhunting have threatened their numbers.

Noppadol Paothong grew up in Thailand but came to the U.S. to study graphic design and photojournalism. In 2005, he became a photographer for the Missouri Department of Conservation, bringing him in close contact with Midwestern species like raptors, eastern hellbenders and prairie chickens.

The roadrunner, long a symbol of the American Southwest, is experiencing range expansion. That's bringing the bird to places that didn't use to resemble the desert vistas beloved by its cartoon counterpart — such as Kansas and even Missouri.

The prothonotary warbler population in Kansas is growing as the birds stop to breed before heading south. Researchers are using electronic trackers to study their movements.

Turning your grass into a garden isn't as complicated as you think, but it will take time and effort. Kansas City experts offer this step-by-step guide that breaks down the process, from killing your lawn to picking plants to grow.

Ornate box turtles and their kin face steep challenges in today’s world, but people can help out by raising the deck height on their mowers, allowing turtles to cross the road and not taking them home as pets.

Weighing bear cubs and measuring teeth are part of Nate Bowersock’s regular workday with the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The federal government promised Kansas City $59 million in security funding for the World Cup, but a partial shutdown put that money in limbo — with just months before the games kicked off. Plus: Mosses are the underdogs of the plant world. Now a group of scientists is coming together to protect them.

Sometimes, after an accident, medical bills force families to give up nonessential expenses, like their kids’ sports. A local charity is helping families in that situation. We'll hear from the organization’s founder and families the group has helped.

The lesser prairie chicken, known for its flamboyant courtship dances and bulging neck pouches, has lost a majority of its population in the grasslands and brush of southwestern Kansas. But Republican lawmakers have long fought against its habitat protections.