Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 15, 2026

Tropical Spiders Make Fearsome ‘Puppets’ of Themselves For Protection

Science Alert reported

Some spiders build delicate little nets, others colossal web megacities, and now some in Peru and the Philippines have been found sculpting giant doppelgängers out of silk, prey carcasses, and debris.

This remarkable behavior has just been formally documented for the first time, based on a handful of discoveries dating back to 2012.

“They don’t just decorate their webs – they meticulously arrange detritus, prey carcasses, and silk into a structure that’s not only larger than their own body, but clearly resembles the silhouette of a bigger, menacing spider,”

Read more Tropical Spiders Make Fearsome ‘Puppets’ of Themselves For Protection

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 14, 2026

Calif. mountain lions gain landmark protections weeks after SF sighting

SF Gate reported

California mountain lions from the Bay Area to the Mexican border are now officially protected under the state’s endangered species act after a yearslong push by activists.

The California Fish and Game Commission approved the protections on Thursday six years after wildlife advocates initially petitioned for the safeguards in 2019.

Read more Calif. mountain lions gain landmark protections weeks after SF sighting

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 14, 2026

Rare 9ft-tall ‘camel birds’ released into Saudi Arabian desert

Discover Wildlife reported

Five red-necked ostriches or ‘camel birds’ have been released into a Saudi Arabian nature reserve as part of a large rewilding project.

The critically endangered flightless birds, also known as North African or Barbary ostriches, were introduced into the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, in the country’s northwest.

REad moe at Rare 9ft-tall ‘camel birds’ released into Saudi Arabian desert

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026

Upcoming Events at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum

See upcoming events at the Santa Barbara Natural HIstory Museum at https://mailchi.mp/sbnature2.org/general-events-13930336?e=693571bfe8

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026

Anza-Borrego Foundation  Upcoming Events 

Anza-Borrego Foundation hosts a variety of events and educational programs, including hikes, botany walks, photography workshops, and more. See the schedule at  Events | Anza-Borrego Foundation

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026

Upcoming Events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden

See upcoming events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at events.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026

Beware the spray: Skunk mating season is underway in the Bay Area

SF Gate reported

Complaints from Bay Area residents about the smell — not to mention about sprayed dogs and skunks in the road — have streamed in.

— Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/skunks-spray-valentine-21350189.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026

Whales are arriving early in San Francisco Bay. Scientists don’t know why.

SF Gate reported

The first gray whale of the year has arrived “unseasonably early” in San Francisco Bay, experts from the Marine Mammal Center told SFGATE this week, raising questions over the species’ behavior and how it is using the bay to survive. The news follows a troubling year for the species that saw 21 individuals wash up dead in the Bay Area alone — the most in 25 years — and the lowest population estimates since the early 1970s.

Read more Whales are arriving early in San Francisco Bay. Scientists don’t know why.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026

Baboon Sibling Rivalry Suggests Monkeys Feel Jealousy Like People

The New York Times reported

Ever been jealous of your brother or sister for getting too much attention from your mom or dad? Scientists believe you’re not the only creature in the animal kingdom to feel that way.

A team of Finnish scientists spent the majority of 2021 in Tsaobis Nature Park in Namibia, following chacma baboon families on foot from dusk till dawn. Every day, they would see adolescent baboons trying to steal their mother’s attention while a sibling, often a younger one, was being groomed.

Read more Baboon Sibling Rivalry Suggests Monkeys Feel Jealousy Like People

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026

Job Opening: Native Plant Nursery Manager

Save The Bay is hiring a Native Plant Nursery Manager. See job description and how to apply at https://forum.cnps.org/forum/cnps-public-forums/botany-and-wildlife-job-announcements/15796-native-plant-nursery-manager-save-the-bay

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026

Flower Photos from my Garden – 2/10/26

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026

Bring Back the Natives Upcoming Events

Bring Back the Natives has a whole lineup of upcoming events. See what’s happening at Native Plant Extravaganzaz 2026

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026

Only 50 of these wild canines are left. California biologists just caught one.

SF Gate reported

The population of an elusive fox species that roams the Sierra Nevada likely only has about 50 individuals left.

Biologists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife finally captured and attached a GPS collar to one of these rare foxes near Mammoth Lakes in January. They’ve been trying to trap one in the Sierra for years.

Read more Only 50 of these wild canines are left. California biologists just caught one.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026

Rare sheep are U.S.-Mexico border crossers, but they’re hitting a sharp new obstacle –

Rare sheep are U.S.-Mexico border crossers, but they’re hitting a sharp new obstacle – DNYUZ
— Read on dnyuz.com/2026/02/01/rare-sheep-are-u-s-mexico-border-crossers-but-theyre-hitting-a-sharp-new-obstacle/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 11, 2026

Hunter gets prison time for smuggling dead endangered animal into SFO

SF Gate reported

The man was aware that the animal’s population was threatened prior to killing it and attempting to smuggle it into San Francisco International Airport.

Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/hunter-endangered-species-21347768.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 11, 2026

In polar regions, microbes are influencing climate change as frozen ecosystems thaw

McGill University reported

Microbes across Earth’s coldest regions are becoming more active as glaciers, permafrost and sea ice thaw, accelerating carbon release and potentially amplifying climate change, according to a new international review from McGill University.

Read more In polar regions, microbes are influencing climate change as frozen ecosystems thaw, McGill review finds 

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 11, 2026

Sonoma Land Trust Events

Check out the latest events and news for Sonoma Land Trust at OUTINGS & EVENTS

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 11, 2026

Rare Octopus ‘Bloom’ Struck UK Waters in 2025, And Now We Know Why

ScienceAlert reported

Octopus blooms have previously been rare in the UK, but emerging evidence from long-term marine monitoring of the western Channel suggests that these episodes coincide with sustained periods of unusual warmth in both the ocean and atmosphere.

These “marine heatwaves” can stimulate rapid population growth, whether the octopus are locally established or newly arrived from the south. These warm conditions are often accompanied by unusually low salinity in coastal waters, a signal that points to fresher water entering the region. While salinity itself is unlikely to drive the outbreaks, it serves as a valuable tracer of the water’s origin.

Read article at Rare Octopus ‘Bloom’ Struck UK Waters in 2025, And Now We Know Why

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 10, 2026

Western Monarch Numbers Remain at Historic Low | Xerces Society

The 29th annual Western Monarch Count revealed a historically low population for the second year in a row. Approximately 12,260 monarchs were recorded overwintering across 249 sites, the third-lowest tally since the count began in 1997.
— Read on xerces.org/press/western-monarch-numbers-remain-at-historic-low

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 10, 2026

These beetle larvae lure in bees by mimicking flowers

ScienceNews reported

The rare deception may be the first example of an animal chemically mimicking a plant

Read more These beetle larvae lure in bees by mimicking flowers

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 9, 2026

Identifying With Lichen

Bay Nature reported

How the surprising union between a fungus and an alga raises questions about the nature of identity

Read more at Identifying With Lichen

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 8, 2026

Super Owl Sunday

If the Super Bowl isn’t your cup of tea, our tenth-annual photo collection of superb owls just might be. Take a look at these magnificent birds via @TheAtlPhoto: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2026/02/superb-owl-sunday-x/685909/?gift=o1a-uwLOs-opQbBp5XhjHPRQpEJoHivUReIbV55PINI&utm_source=email&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 8, 2026

‘Crime-Fighting’ Llamas Catch Thief by Surrounding Him in a Field Until Cops Arrive

Good News Network reported

A would-be thief was caught by police after a herd of llamas cornered the suspect in a field until officers could arrive.

Read more at ‘Crime-Fighting’ Llamas Catch Thief by Surrounding Him in a Field Until Cops Arrive

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 8, 2026

 Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events

See upcoming events for the Siskiyou Land Trust at  Upcoming  events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 7, 2026

Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 2/3/26

Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on February 6, 2026.

The Regional Parks Botanic Garden is a California native plant garden. It is located within Tilden Park in the hills above Berkeley, California, It is a 10-acre garden includes many of the state’s rare and endangered plants and a place for visitors to wander among trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses from plant communities throughout the state. There are free weekend and holiday tours.  Admission and parking are free. For more information about the garden visit the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 7, 2026

Over 10,000 Chinook salmon return to California river to spawn

SF Gate reported

Over 10,500 Chinook salmon swam from the Pacific Ocean into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to reach their spawning grounds in the Mokelumne River last fall. The salmon’s return helped the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s fish hatchery in the Sierra Nevada foothills reach its yearly goal of collecting and fertilizing 7.5 million salmon eggs, the agency announced last week.

Their numbers “represent a healthy count for natural spawning in the river,” EBMUD wrote.

Read more Over 10,000 Chinook salmon return to California river to spawn

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 6, 2026

Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Upcoming Events

See all Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Upcoming Events at see all upcoming events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 6, 2026

An iconic species is vanishing from Glacier National Park

SF Gate reported

Mountain goat populations in Glacier National Park have plummeted sharply in recent years, according to new research on the iconic species that lives in the park’s mountainous terrain.

Read more An iconic species is vanishing from Glacier National Park

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 6, 2026

Elusive carnivore, once thought to be extinct, spotted by remote trail cameras in California

CBS News reported

Researchers at Oregon State University have collected new data about an elusive forest carnivore “renowned for its cuteness” that was nearly driven to extinction in the 20th century.

The coastal marten, also known as the Humboldt marten, is about the size of a ferret and lives in coastal forests. Only four isolated populations of the species still exist, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Two colonies live in northwestern California. Another two live in western Oregon.

Read more at  Elusive carnivore, once thought to be extinct, spotted by remote trail cameras in California

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 6, 2026

More Than 50,000 Sea Otters Recovering Along The Pacific Coast Are Controlling Urchins, Saving Kelp Forests And Capturing Carbon

A few decades ago, this coastline was on the verge of becoming a rocky desert, stripped bare by sea urchins. Today, more than 50,000 sea otters have quietly staged a comeback along the Pacific, from California up through British Columbia and Alaska. They’re doing something no climate summit, no glossy report, can do alone.

They’re eating their way into being climate allies. And the numbers suddenly start to matter.

Read more Saving Kelp Forests And Capturing Carbon

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