“Every release is so rejuvenating. When birds go back into the wild it makes what we do all worthwhile. It never gets old,” says Mairead McGuirk a volunteer at the International Bird Rescue in San Pedro that has been rescuing, rehabbing and releasing birds for more than 40 years. On a warm afternoon, a crowd […]
Chanelle Davis was trying her best, but I was getting nervous. The wildlife biologist with the Department of Fish and Wildlife was giving us newbies a crash course in how to identify big horn sheep, particularly the delicate differences between the young males and the females. It’s all about the horn size, Chanelle told us, […]
Southern sea otter numbers have declined off the coast of California since their most recent high in 2016. According to data just released by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the three-year average population index this year dropped to 2,962, which is 166 sea otters fewer than the […]
It’s got to take a special kind of photo exhibition to take us away from our digital screens — and the newly opened showcase of imagery marvels at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County will mesmerize you with artistry, depth and passion for our natural world. IPhone? What iPhone? Wildlife Photographer of the […]
It’s called a migration, but for the thousands of male tarantulas that live in Southern California, it’s more like “knocking on doors looking for a date.” This is the time of year when SoCal hikers could chance upon these eight-legged wonders that inhabit local grasslands, chaparrals, canyons and deserts. We can’t think of a better […]
Some marine biologists have called the curious and often playful giant sea bass the “Labrador retrievers of the sea” – which partially explains why these tremendously large fish (which can weigh up to 500 pounds) are currently on the critically endangered list. These gentle giants have struggled to keep their populations viable as humans have […]
One after another, cars arrive as if on cue. They pull over on the shoulder of this two-lane highway near an endless orange tree grove here in Valle Vista on the outskirts of Hemet in Riverside County. Old couples, parents of small children and families with grown kids sheepishly exit their cars, wander to the […]
Mouse in the house? How about 50? That’s the number of endangered Pacific pocket mice that will soon be relocated into an area of Laguna Coast Wilderness Park in Orange County, the first ever relocation of the adorable little mammal that makes underground homes. The Pacific pocket mouse recovery program is managed by staff at […]
To celebrate a milestone in a species recovery, the folks at NOAA’s Montrose Settlement’s Restoration Project are looking for a perfect name for the 100th naturally-hatched bald eagle chick that will fledge on the Channel Islands. The birds are the subject of a popular live webcam that’s been recording the eagle’s life from egg […]
There’s a long road ahead for SoCal sea star populations that are slowly recovering from the Sea Star Wasting Syndrome that hit the area in late 2013 – and SoCal residents are encouraged to help play a part in monitoring the process. Four years ago, SoCal coastlines and intertidal outcroppings were strangely devoid of sea […]
Got hawk eyes? How about owl eyes? The Friends of Griffith Park is hosting its second Raptor Study that will help biologists understand better urban winged predators. Volunteers will monitor nests in Griffith Park as well as the surrounding areas including the Pasadena/Arroyo Seco area and the central Santa Monica Mtns./San Fernando Valley west of the […]
Altadena resident, artist and active hiker Doug Meyer was just starting the ascent up Echo Mt. Trail from Altadena when he spied a most unusual creature about a months ago. “I’ve seen bighorn sheep, bobcats and other animals while I’ve hiked,” he says. “This was something I have never seen before.” On this mid-morning weekday […]