Hundreds of Waterfowl Found Dead in Suspected Bird Flu Outbreak in Illinois

A 26-year-old man was tragically killed when he was thrown off of his ATV in Ralls County, Missouri. Brandon McCurdy was riding his ATV on Vermont Lane about two miles southeast of the town of Perry. That’s when a deer shot across the road. KHQA News 7 reports that McCurdy’s ride collided with the animal. After hitting the deer, the ATV veered off the left side of the road, hit a roadside ditch, flipped over, and ejected him. He was pronounced dead on the scene by the Ralls County Deputy Coroner on January 23rd.

Animal rescuers took to the sea last week to rescue dozens of waterlogged turkey vultures who fell from the sky off the coast of the Florida Keys. Staff from the local Dolphin Research Center executed the unusual water rescue on Monday when a rare vulture stranding occurred in the water on the Gulf of Mexico side of Marathon. Workers were already in the water, conducting unrelated research, when they spotted a turkey vulture struggling to stay afloat near the shoreline.

“We are saddened to share the news that mountain lion P-81 was likely killed by a vehicle strike,” the National Park Service (NPS) confirmed over the weekend. On Sunday, January 22, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officials collected P-81’s body on the Pacific Coast Highway near Las Posas Road. Both busy roadways cut through the the western Santa Monica Mountains, which are crucial habitat for California cougars. P-81, too, was critical to both CDFW and NPS’ understanding of the species in this area. But his life was cut short by a vehicle strike that left him dead in the middle of the highway. P-81 was around 4-years-old when he died.

The Boundary Waters of Minnesota is one of the most spectacular places on Earth. The area includes more than 1 million acres, 1,100 lakes, and 1,500 miles of canoe routes near the Canadian border. The area is designated as wilderness, and actually has a ban on motorized boats. It’s a world-class bucket-list type of destination for hikers, campers, fishermen, canoers, kayakers, and paddleboarders. With more than 250,000 annual visitors, it’s the most visited wilderness area in America. However, there has been ongoing controversy centered around plans to develop a copper-nickel mine in the area.

Waterfowl hunting seasons wrapping up around the country. That means hunters will soon be getting their preparations in order for Turkey season if they’re not already. Step 1 in preparing for turkey season should be attending the National Wild Turkey Federation’s annual convention in Nashville. The show will...