Tag Archives: wildlife

This a WMEO Weekend update- Moose on the Loose

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Two cats sit behind the WMEO 9 news desk, appearing as news anchors. The orange cat on the left wears a black bow tie, and the black cat on the right sits beside a small teddy bear and microphone. Behind them, a screen displays the headline “MOOSE ON THE LOOSE” with a photo of a large bull moose walking down a residential street. The scene humorously mimics a professional TV news broadcast.

WMEO Weekend Update — Moose on the Loose in Gardner, MA

Banner and Balboa reporting from the Nature Desk.  We Meow-You Listen

Banner: It’s been quite the year for wildlife, folks. Jellyfish, sea turtles, criminal seagulls, beavers, bears… and of course, moose. And now — finally — we have our own moose story to share.

Balboa: Gardner, Massachusetts. Small city. North‑central part of the state. And on Tuesday morning… its population increased by exactly one. A moose.

Banner: Not just any moose — a massive bull with a full rack of antlers, trotting right down Main Street like he owned the place.

Balboa: Yeah, and he had to stop at the McDonald’s for his morning breakfast sandwich. Moose gotta eat.

Banner: We now go live to Pumpkin Spice in the field with his on‑site report.

An orange and white cat wearing a black hat with an orange band and a press badge that reads “WMEO PRESS PUMPKIN SPICE REPORTER” poses as a news reporter. The cat has a blue lanyard and holds a camera, while a microphone labeled “WMEO NEWS” sits nearby. The softly blurred background suggests an outdoor setting, creating a humorous scene of a feline journalist at work.

Pumpkin Spice — field reporter

Pumpkin Spice: Wow. He’s a big boy. He picked up a police escort as he strolled through downtown Gardner. When approached by this reporter to explain his visit, he gruffly replied, “no comment.” Officers then gently escorted him back toward the forest.

Balboa: Well that was rude.

Banner: And there you have it, folks — live from Gardner, Massachusetts, our very own homegrown Moose on the Loose.

This concludes your WMEO Weekend Update from the Nature Desk. Thanks for watching.

Two cats sit behind a WMEO 9 news desk as if hosting a broadcast. The orange cat on the left wears a dark blue bow tie, while the black cat on the right sits beside a small gray mouse toy and a brown teddy bear. A sheet of paper with red markings lies on the desk. The front of the desk displays the text “WMEO 9” in large yellow letters and “Thank you for watching” in white. The blurred newsroom background features blue and red tones.

 

 

 

Wildlife Overpasses Are Saving Lives

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Elk walking across a vegetated wildlife overpass above a busy multi‑lane highway, with cars passing underneath and open plains in the background.

A Slow Start for a Smart Idea

Not so long ago, wildlife bridges were almost unheard of. The first versions started appearing in the 1950s, but here in the U.S., the idea took decades to gain traction. Canada embraced the concept much earlier, and because they’re our closest neighbor, we had a front‑row seat to watch their success.

When Human Impact Forces Action

For years, wildlife advocates pushed for safe passage for migrating animals, while politicians pointed to the cost. And as often happens, nothing really changed until enough people were affected. Once the human impact became impossible to ignore, momentum finally shifted.

Colorado’s Most Dangerous Stretch of Highway

One of the worst areas for wildlife collisions is in Colorado. You might remember when I shared the opening of the I‑25 Greenland Wildlife Bridge — and then the update when the first three elk crossed it shortly after it opened. The latest numbers are jaw‑dropping.

A 91% Drop in Wildlife Collisions

Since the overpass opened, wildlife‑vehicle collisions have dropped 91%. Ninety‑one percent. That’s not just a win — that’s a lifesaver.

Before the bridge was built, this stretch of highway saw up to 25 animal‑vehicle collisions per day during migration season. Think of the ripple effect: fewer injuries, fewer animal deaths, fewer totaled cars and trucks. Imagine a big rig hitting an elk — the damage to the truck, the cargo, the driver, and of course the animal. And that’s just one accident.

Built for Big Game — Used by Everyone

The overpass spans I‑25 near the Greenland exit between Larkspur and Monument. It was designed primarily for pronghorn and elk, but the success has gone far beyond that.

Video feeds show entire elk herds using the bridge. Pronghorn are crossing to the west side of I‑25 for the first time in decades. Bears, deer, coyotes, and other animals have been spotted using it too.

Biologists even created a protected pathway for small mammals by piling wood along the edges so they wouldn’t be picked off by predators while crossing. It’s not just a big‑game solution — it’s a full‑ecosystem fix.

A herd of elk standing in a grassy field, with a large bull elk in the center and leafless trees in the background.

A Model for the Future of Wildlife Safety

Colorado’s success is more than a local win — it’s a blueprint. When we give wildlife safe passage, we protect animals, drivers, families, and entire ecosystems. The Greenland overpass proves that thoughtful infrastructure can save lives on both sides of the guardrail.

Projects like the Greenland overpass remind us that the West isn’t just a place we admire — it’s a place we share. When we build with wildlife in mind, we’re choosing a future where animals can follow the paths they’ve used for centuries and drivers can travel safely through the landscapes we all love. It’s a simple idea with enormous impact, and Colorado has shown what happens when we finally decide to make room for every creature that calls this region home.

 

Mini‑Godzilla on the Loose! Rampaging Monitor Terrorizes Mall Parking Lot

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Two cats posed as news anchors sit behind a WMEO‑9 desk, an orange fluffy cat and a sleek black cat, with a microphone and papers in front of them. Behind the desk, a large screen displays a monitor lizard with its tongue extended under a bold “Monitor Lizard” headline, creating a humorous newsroom scene.

WMEO‑9 SPECIAL REPORT

Taunton, MA – Breaking News from the Nature Mews Desk

Banner: What a summer this has been! Jellyfish, sea turtles, raccoons, moose—our newsroom has been busier than a catA monitor lizard resting inside a wood‑lined enclosure, its long speckled body stretched across bark pieces, with its pointed snout and thick tail visible among the naturalistic habitat materials. in a laser-pointer factory. And now we bring you something truly bizarre: an escaped mangrove monitor, an exotic lizard native to northern Australia and the western Pacific islands.

Balboa: This poor fellow must have had a severe case of wanderlust. We’re a long, long way from Australia.

Banner: The adventurous monitor somehow made his way to a Burlington mall parking lot, where an animal control officer finally cornered him. Turns out the lizard had been hiding inside the wheel well of a parked car, probably contemplating his life choices.

Balboa: He was safely captured and handed over to Rainforest Reptile Shows, who immediately gave the feisty traveler a wash and a manicure to trim his tiny claws. Imagine the headline: “Lizard Escapes, Runs Away, and Accidentally Books Himself a Spa Day.”

Banner: Experts say the mangrove monitor—like most monitor species—is illegal to possess in Massachusetts without proper permits. And honestly, if he hadn’t been rescued, he never would’ve survived a New England winter. Not even with a heated cat bed.

Balboa: Sometimes I wonder how any of us do.

Banner: Animal Control is currently searching for the lizard’s owner.

An orange cat and a black cat sit behind the WMEO 9 news desk in a studio setting, with a message on the front panel that reads “Thank you for watching.”

End of Report

This has been a WMEO‑9 Special Bulletin from the Nature Mews Desk. Please resume your regualrly scheduled scrolling.

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National Wildlife Day- A Tribute

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A Tribute to the Creatures That make our wold a better place

Today is National Wildlife Day — a reminder of how much beauty and wonder lives alongside us. From deer in the Vermont fields of my childhood to the grizzlies, elk, manatees, and wild horses I’ve met on my travels, wildlife has shaped so many of my favorite memories. Here’s to protecting the creatures who make this world feel a little more magical.

A small herd of seven deer grazing in a lush green meadow, surrounded by tall grass and shrubs, with a young tree on the right. Several deer have velvet-covered antlers, and the scene feels calm and natural.

A large herd of elk moving across a grassy Wyoming field, with several bulls displaying antlers and a backdrop of tall, leafless trees. The scene captures the elk in their natural habitat during a late‑season gathering.

Grizzly 399 walking with two cubs across a rocky, grassy hillside in Wyoming, surrounded by early‑autumn trees with green and yellow foliage. The bears are moving away from the camera, showing the mother leading her cubs through their natural habitat.

A whale’s tail fluke rising from the calm blue water of Cape Cod Bay as it dives, with streams of water cascading off the edges and a distant sailboat on the horizon.

A seal lifting its head above the blue‑green water in Cape Cod Bay, mouth open in a wide yawn or call, with ripples reflecting around its partially submerged body.

A barn owl with a heart‑shaped white facial disc and dark eyes, shown in a close‑up view with soft tan and gray feathers, standing in an indoor educational setting.

European Barn Owl = photo credit Deb Neumann

An Atlantic puffin holding several small fish crosswise in its brightly colored beak, standing near the ocean with rippling blue water behind it. The close‑up view highlights the puffin’s vivid orange bill and striking black‑and‑white plumage.

Whether they walk, run, swim, or fly, our wild creatures enrich our world in ways we’re still learning to appreciate — from the deer of my childhood to the whales and puffins of my travels, each one a reminder that the wild makes life richer, brighter, and endlessly magical.

WMEO Breaking News from the Nature Desk- Baby Raccoon Rescued

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2 cats acting as anchors for the WMEO news room, one orange and one black

🐾 WMEO 9 – BREAKING NEWS ALERT

Baby Raccoon Rescued on Cape Cod

From the Nature Desk — We Meow, You Listen

Banner (opening): Good evening, viewers. Banner here at the WMEO Nature Desk with another summer headline from Cape Cod — and this time, it’s all about one very determined baby raccoon who found himself in a storm drain and in need of a hero squad.

 When animal lovers reported the trapped raccoon, Team Raccoon assembled fast — Fire & Rescue, Police, and Public Works all converged on the scene. It was a full‑scale operation for one tiny trash panda.

Balboa: And when even this elite squad couldn’t free the little guy, they didn’t give up. Nope. They removed the entire storm drain and transported it — raccoon and all — straight to the medical staff at the Cape Wildlife Center. That’s what I call VIP service.

Rescue workers wearing gloves carefully work to free a baby raccoon whose head is stuck through a metal storm drain grate, with tools, a traffic cone, and a vehicle visible in the background.

Image: Cape Cod Wildlife Center

Large yellow plastic container of Wellsley Farms canola oil with a green-and-white label showing product details such as “100% Pure,” “Cholesterol Free,” and “5 Quarts.”Banner: At the Wildlife Center, veterinarians used modern rescue techniques to safely free him. After sedating the baby raccoon, they applied canola oil and wrapped him in garbage bags to gently ease him out of the grate.

Balboa: Canola oil and garbage bags? Banner, that sounds like the start of a delicious recipe. Proper preparation is everything.

📢 Public Service Reminder

Banner: Before we continue, a quick safety note from the Nature Desk —this rescue was  performed by trained professionals. If you ever encounter a trapped or injured wild animal, do not attempt to free it yourself. Call local authorities or a wildlife rescue organization. It keeps you safe, and it keeps the animal safe.

Balboa: Exactly. Leave the storm‑drain extractions — and the questionable cooking techniques — to the experts.

Banner: Despite Balboa’s culinary commentary, we’re happy to report that the baby raccoon is now resting comfortably at the Wildlife Center. He’ll remain under observation, but the rescue was a complete success.

Baby raccoon sitting inside a beige pet carrier lined with a towel and mat, looking out through the open doorway.

Balboa: A round of applause — or paw‑plause — for everyone involved. Teamwork saved a life today.

One ornage cat and 1 black clat signing off the WMEO news room desk

This has been a WMEO Breaking News Alert from the Nature Desk.

We Meow. You Listen.