WILDLIFE

Although there are no human cases of avian flu in Massachusetts, officials this week advised poultry farmers and people with backyard flocks to keep their birds inside. They suggested people and their pets avoid contact with wildlife, including dead birds — and cats should be kept inside.

Since the confirmation of the H5N1 virus on the UMass Amherst campus, the state is imploring backyard chicken owners to take steps to protect their hens from contracting the respiratory virus.

Migrating is one of the most dangerous times in a bird’s life. Turning off lights at night, putting stickers on windows, and keeping cats indoors can help.

Dozens of mountain lion sighting reports are filed each year in New Hampshire. Fish and Game officials say none of them have proven the presence of the animal in the state.

Deer hunts have taken place at the reservoir since 1991 but this will be the first time the Quabbin Park area will be included.

Looking to better understand one of the most feared marine animals, The Shark Trust designated July 14 as Shark Awareness Day. It's also the day a UMass Amherst biologist released to the public several interactive 3D models of shark species.

NEPM Senior Reporter Nancy Cohen talks to us about watching orphaned bear cubs return to the wild, Mr. Liam and Mr. Nick sing to us about the ongoing kids music series at The Parlor Room, and The word nerd settles once and for all if we should feel "bad" or "badly".

The Kilham Bear Center in Lyme, New Hampshire, is releasing 137 black bears back into the wild. The animals were brought to the center after they were orphaned or abandoned by their mothers.

The debate over conservation measures aimed at protecting North Atlantic right whales headed to Washington on Tuesday, as Maine lobstermen defended a measure that pauses new federal fishing regulations for the next five years.

The largest remaining piece of private property inside the Green Mountain National Forest has been permanently protected from development and will be open to the public in perpetuity.