Ohio man pleads guilty to illegally shooting bald eagle

An Ohio man who admitted fatally shooting a bald eagle will be banned from hunting for five years and has agreed to pay $20,000 as part of his sentence. Half the money will go to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, a nonprofit funder of conservation projects, as restitution. The other $10,000 is a fine.

Largest tally of snakebites in Michigan

Michigan’s only venomous snake, the eastern massasauga rattlesnake, has been suspected or proven responsible for at least 75 bites reported in the state from 2003 through 2020, according to the most comprehensive tally ever of such incidents.

Deer kill count moves online

Starting this year, hunters in Michigan will have to report their deer harvest online. Wildlife officials presented the plan to the state Natural Resources Commission and said online reporting will provide more accurate information about what kinds of deer are being taken and provide it more quickly.

June: The Cruelest Month?

All through the spring, baby fish hatch and laze in the sun-warmed shallows, bird chicks take their first wobbly flights, bunnies get their first taste of the greens in my garden and seedlings sprout and reach for the sky. And then they die.

Rising water makes Lake Michigan wetlands vulnerable to invaders

European frogbit, an invasive species, has been documented in Wisconsin, where it could threaten native plants, fish and invertebrates. The small, green, heart-shaped lily pad, forms dense mats along the surface of the water, blocking out sunlight that submergent plants need to survive.

Ontario jumping worm invasion threatens to leap borders

For the first time, Asian jumping worms were found in Ontario in March. The discovery of the invasive worms follows sightings in all Great Lakes states except for Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York. Removal of invasive species once they are established is extremely difficult, making prevention essential.

Backyard habitats: TikTok edition

In our newest TikTok, Echo reporter Rayna Skiver interviews Natalie Cypher, naturalist and educator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Adventure Center.