“They are just like big Labrador retrievers,” says Biology Professor Larry Allen of Cal State University Northridge about the giant sea bass that once disappeared but now are showing signs of repopulating Southern California waters. “Some of my student divers are able to pet them and these fish can be huge, up to 7 feet […]
Los Angeles’ most renown wild critter, mountain lion P-22 has numerous articles written about him, a Facebook page and a documentary movie (“The Cat that Changed America”) in the works. Now, local creatives are planning to bring the story of SoCal’s adventuresome puma to the pint-size crowd with a P-22 coloring/activity book – and they […]
Like something from a bad B science fiction movie, the sudden appearance of Jerusalem crickets has caused fear and freaking out among humans who know little about this big-headed, bumbling and lumbering creature. And for good reason: these permanent SoCal residents spend most of their time underground and usually come to the surface when the […]
“It was an extraordinary encounter, a once-in-lifetime experience,” is how whale researcher Alisa Schulman-Janiger described seeing dozens upon dozens of sperms whales off Southern California coastline this week. Schulman-Janiger has seen sperm whales – best known as the Moby Dick whales – in SoCal waters before but typically that sighting has been of a few […]
Esperanza Elementary School is welcoming a surprisingly new visitor to the urban downtown campus, a winged wonder that both students and faculty hope will stick around a little longer. A burrowing owl, more commonly found in the grasslands and deserts, has been seen regularly at the inner-city school (located just blocks from MacArthur Park) which […]
The car caravan stopped at a far enough distance for riders to see the standoff of two groupings of tule elk in the open grasslands near Buttonwillow, about an hour north of Los Angeles. Something was catching the attention of the big bull. The yearlings paid careful attention, still standing close to their mothers. At […]
On the banks of the San Gabriel River, up from Seal Beach, a variety of people scan the slate gray waters for wildlife. On different sides of the river, citizen scientists, families with kids, retired folks and young adults study the slate dark gray waters, not for birds, but for one of nature’s most tantalizing […]
The captain killed the motor and the catamaran floated quietly a few miles off the coast of Dana Point. Passengers were intensely focused on the surrounding seas with binocular and squinty eyes; the calm water makes it easier to spot ‘em, explained Eric Austin Yee, a naturalist with Dana Wharf Whale Watching. But it wasn’t […]
The much-anticipated and first-ever wildlife overcrossing in California is in works, with fundraising and raising awareness taking top priorities in this initial phase of the project that will create a span over 101 freeway near Liberty Canyon in the city of Agoura Hills and will benefit mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, lizards and more. It’s being […]
Attention Facebook, YouTube, Social Media Trends: we are not going to watch any more videos that involve wildlife interacting all cute and cuddly with humans in the wild. You know the videos: “Scuba Diver and Seal Becomes Best Friends,” “Bear Sits Next to A Guy Fishing,” “Elk vs. Photographer,” “Feeding Friendly Monkeys in Malaysia,” “Wolves […]
Orange bumblebee? A hornet/bee hybrid? Giant flying peanut? Many metaphors describe the bumbling buzzer known as the valley carpenter bee, the largest native bee that’s currently lollygagging through many SoCal gardens, outdoor locales and parklands. Who hasn’t experienced one of these fast-flying furries zooming straight toward your face? Who hasn’t responded with an unconscious head […]
Predators eat prey. It’s nature’s way. But when prey presents problems for humans, sometimes it’s good to encourage predators on the scene (think barn owl boxes for rodents, mice, etc.). With the news of the invasive mosquito infiltrating Southern California bringing along the potentially dangerous Zika virus, some ecologically-minded folks may wonder: Why don’t we […]