TOPEKA (KSNT) - 27 News is taking a look back over the past year and some of the most important wildlife and outdoor topics we covered. A lot happened in 2024 in Kansas' outdoor spaces, including the return of a large turtle species absent from the state for decades and an investigation into a mysterious grouping of rattlesnakes in the heart of the state. Wildlife researchers, hunters, anglers and biologists helped put these stories together to inform Kansans about all the happenings going on in the state's wild spaces. Alligator snapping turtles return Biologists with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) worked to bring this species back into the state this year. Their efforts ended in a success story as the agency returned dozens of the large turtles to their original habitat in the Neosho River. 27 News broke this story in June of 2024 after speaking with Trevor Starks, an aquatic species recovery coordinator with the KDWP, about plans to bring the turtles back to the state. Where are the best places to go ‘shed hunting’ in Kansas? Alligator snapping turtles had been absent from the state for more than 30 years, with the last reported sighting being in 1991. However, through the efforts of the KDWP and local landowners, the turtles are expected to become part of Kansas' ecosystem once again. Alligator snapping turtles are back in Kansas after a more than 30-year absence. Biologists hope the species reestablishes in the waters of the Neosho River. (Photo Courtesy/Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks) Tarantulas on the march Kansans with a fear of big spiders had to watch their step in the fall of 2024 as large brown tarantulas began crawling their way through the state's outdoor areas. While frightening to some, the tarantulas are actually a natural piece of the state's plethora of wildlife. Will this legendary Kansas catfish world record ever be beat? Experts with Kansas State University such as Insect Zoo Coordinator Kiffnie Holt and Professor of Entomology Raymond Cloyd helped explain the tarantula's presence in the state and why people shouldn't be afraid. You can even find a few specimens to observe safely at the Insect Zoo in Manhattan if you can get over your arachnophobia. Photo of an adult North American Tarantula at K-State's Insect Zoo. (Photo Courtesy/Kiffnie Holt) Mystery rattlesnake cluster 27 News spoke with Zoology Collections Manager Jackson Roberts with the Sternberg Museum in October of 2024 about the strange group of western diamondback rattlesnakes gathered at a Kansas state park. He is part of an investigation into how this group of rattlesnakes, separated by many miles from any other established populations of the species, came to call Kanopolis State Park their home. What lakes are stocked with trout in Kansas for the 2024-2025 season? Visitors have found these snakes at the park since the early 1990's but they are considered an oddity as the nearest established populations of the serpents are in the southwest part of the state. Roberts encouraged people who visit the park to stay on marked trails to avoid coming into contact with the venomous snakes. (Photo Courtesy/Getty Images) Controversial fishing trophy 27 News broke the story of how a Kansas angler lost his claim to fame as a state record holder for a prize white crappie in February of 2024. His catch from a lake in Pottawatomie County defeated the previous record holder by only 0.05 pounds. Is bison hunting allowed in Kansas? A KDWP spokeswoman later told 27 News the agency removed the record and placed it under review by wildlife officials. The KDWP revealed its reasoning for the removal of the record on Feb. 16, 2024, stating that investigators found steel weights inside the fish, invalidating it as a new state record for the white crappie category. (Photo Courtesy/Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks) An abundance of flying squirrels Adam Ahlers with Kansas State University told 27 News he and other biologists made some surprising discoveries while studying the elusive flying squirrels of Kansas. The joint research effort between the university and the KDWP set to find out where flying squirrels can be found in the state. Can hunters use drones to take wildlife in Kansas? Researchers found southern flying squirrels in areas that are densely populated such as in the Kansas City metro area, along with sparse stands of trees in places near Perry Lake. Biologists captured many of the squirrels and fixed them with radio collars to help continue the research effort. (Photo Courtesy/Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks) For more Kansas Outdoors, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf