Dorothea Dix Park’s five‑acre sunflower field is at peak bloom and the park is hosting a daylong celebration Saturday; here’s where to park, what’s allowed and accessibility notes.

Lawmakers approved funds and 54 staffing lines for the North Carolina Zoo’s 12.5‑acre Asia Continent, but zoo leaders warn more hires may be needed before it opens.

Photos posted June 29 show a drone closing on a wild horse in Corolla. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund and Currituck County say operators must give the herd at least 50 feet of space.

Federal clearance unlocks disaster‑relief money for Surf City’s long‑planned beach renourishment, moving the six‑mile project closer to construction.

NC wildlife officials rolled out early-season hunts and new carcass-disposal rules aimed at slowing chronic wasting disease in affected counties. Hunters are being asked to test and to change how they handle deer remains.

A dead eastern hemlock in Nantahala National Forest shelters a small colony of endangered Indiana bats — the first documented maternity roost in North Carolina in 14 years.

A New Bern‑area angler hooked an estimated 8‑ft, 300‑lb bull shark on the Neuse River and cut the line after a 30‑minute fight.

Necropsy found a nearly 6-inch stingray barb lodged behind a dolphin’s skull; investigators say the resulting infection likely contributed to the animal’s death.

Triangle Land Conservancy bought roughly 800 acres of Neuse River lowgrounds near Smithfield, protecting mature bottomland forest, wetlands and cultural sites.

A juvenile from North Carolina’s barn-owl live cam was killed after a great horned owl attacked; officials captured rare footage and say predation is part of wild life.

West Point on the Eno will close July–January for a multi‑month accessibility overhaul that includes new restrooms, expanded parking and a relocated festival. DPR says the work will make the park easier to reach for more people.

NCDOT plans underpasses and fences along U.S. 64 through Alligator River NWR to protect red wolves and thousands of other animals.

Raleigh’s Leaf Out aims for 24,000 trees by 2032, but missing startup money and tight budgets put the first plantings at risk.