Smithsonian Magazine reported
The observations offer rare evidence of a skill being passed among raccoons. But the work also highlights the effects of human pollution at the popular tourist destination
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 29, 2026
These Adorable, Critically Endangered Pygmy Raccoons in Cozumel Are Teaching One Another to Turn Trash Into Toy Balls
Posted in Animals | Tags: Raccoons at play
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 29, 2026
Iceland, One of Three Countries That Still Hunts Whales, Considers Ban
Yale Environment 360 reported
Iceland is one of just three countries, along with Norway and Japan, that still allows commercial whaling in its waters, but that may be about to change. The Icelandic government will put forward a bill in February that could ban the practice.
Read more Iceland, One of Three Countries That Still Hunts Whales, Considers Ban
Posted in Animals | Tags: Whale Hunting
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 28, 2026
Theodore Payne Foundation Upcoming Events
Theodore Payne Foundation inspires and educates Southern Californians about the beauty and ecological benefits of California native plant landscapes.We are located on 22 acres of canyon land in the northeast corner of the San Fernando Valley. Our full-service native plant nursery, seed room, book store, art gallery, demonstration gardens, and hiking trails are open to the public year round. We offer garden tours and classes for adults and families, as well as field trips to TPF and in-classroom programs for children. Friendly on-leash dogs are welcome and there is no admission charge!
See upcoming events at Theodore Payne Foundation Events – Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite
Posted in Class/Workshop | Tags: Theodore Payne Foundation Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 28, 2026
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Native Plant Sale 10/3/26
Annual Fall Plant Sale Saturday, October 3 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m |
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Mark your calendar for the Regional Park Botanic Garden‘s annual fall plant sale! Public sale hours are 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with exclusive access for Friends members starting at 9:00 a.m. Friends memberships may be purchased at the Garden starting at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the sale, or in advance on the Garden website. The sale will feature a wide array of California native plants propagated and grown from the Regional Parks Botanic Garden collection. Here is the plant sale inventory. |
Posted in Garden | Tags: California Native Plant Sale
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 28, 2026
Elephant Seals Amazing Underwater Diving Ability
Science Blog reported
A single female elephant seal was fitted with a depth logger and sent back to sea, and it turned out she was diving more than a mile straight down into darkness so complete it has never seen sunlight, holding her breath for the better part of two hours, again and again, for months, in a place the human body could not survive for a second.
A creature built for extremes reveals the ocean’s most inhospitable depths through the eyes of a single tagged female, rewriting what we thought possible for a marine mammal’s body and mind.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Elephant Seals
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 27, 2026
The Phenomenal Winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2026
See the Winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2026 from Peta Pixel at The Phenomenal Winners of Bird Photographer of the Year 2026
Posted in Birds, Photography | Tags: Bird photos
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 27, 2026
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Events
See a list of all active events and virtual events of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy at Events in the Parks | Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Posted in Park, Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 27, 2026
Black and White Photos
I recently have been experimenting more with black and white photography. Here are a few of my favorites. I have a Black and White album on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/sandysteinman/albums
California Fan Palm/Washingtonia filifera
Spiral Aloe/Aloe polyphylla
Shaw Agave/Agave shawii
Posted in Photography, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Black and White Photography
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 27, 2026
Lost Fish Rediscovered
Discover Wildlife reported
‘Lost’ animal caught in fishing net in Papua New Guinea. It hasn’t been seen by scientists for more than 40 years
Missing from scientific records for four decades, the spinach pipefish has been ‘rediscovered’ thanks to local communities – who knew of its whereabouts all along.
Posted in Animals | Tags: spinach pipefish
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 26, 2026
California’s fall foliage season arrived early again this year
SF Gate reported
f you want to catch peak fall colors in the Eastern Sierra this year, plan your trip in the next few weeks.
This year’s fall foliage season in California is about a week ahead of schedule, similar to last year. But unlike last fall, when calm conditions let leaves hang on branches and extended peak fall colors for weeks, forecast wind events will likely shorten peak conditions at many leaf-peeping locations in the Eastern Sierra.
Read more at California’s fall foliage season arrived early again this year
Posted in Fall Foliage | Tags: Eastern Sierra Fall Color
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 26, 2026
Damselfish-assisted repair of wounded corals surprises scientists
Monga Bay
- A new study finds that a coral-associated damselfish may help hasten the healing of wounded corals.
- The research showed a 55% faster recovery rate from larger coral wounds in the presence of damselfish, and a 38% faster rate of healing for smaller wounds.
- Algae living within wounded corals exhibited decreased photosynthetic efficiency, an energy source vital to coral healing, when damselfish were absent.
- Scientists say the findings could inform conservation management plans, focusing more attention on preserving fish habitats to better protect corals.
Read more at Damselfish-assisted repair of wounded corals surprises scientists
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Coral, Damselfish
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 25, 2026
El Niño is already swallowing California’s famous beaches
SF Gate reported
Several Orange County beach cities have declared local states of emergency to help buy and dredge needed sand for coastal protection.
— Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/orange-county-el-nino-sand-22444112.php
Posted in Environment | Tags: El Nino
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 25, 2026
A Shape-shifting Ocotopus?
SpaceDaily reported
The mimic octopus off Indonesia can transform itself into a flatfish, lionfish or banded sea snake — and researchers have even watched it switch into the form of a predator of the fish attacking it, suggesting the disguise can change with the threat
A small octopus on Indonesia’s open seafloor has cracked an unexpected survival code: impersonate whatever predator is currently trying to eat you.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Mimic Octopus
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 24, 2026
Photos from Regional Parks Botanic Garden September 22, 2026
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on September, 22, 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.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Regional Park Botanic Garden, Tilden Botanic Garden
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 24, 2026
Sea turtle lays eggs on Southern California beach for first time
CBS reported
A sea turtle has nested on a West Coast beach for what wildlife experts say is the first time in recorded history.
Video captured last Wednesday in Seal Beach shows the moments when a female olive ridley turtle lays eggs in the sand before returning to sea.
Read more at Sea turtle lays eggs on Southern California beach for first time, wildlife experts believe
Posted in Animals | Tags: Sea Turtles
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 24, 2026
Private ranch next to Tilden park eyed for purchase by land trust
Berkeleyside reported
The John Muir Land Trust is trying to raise $7 million to buy the 116-acre Johnson Ranch near the steam train, and open its panoramic views to the public. It bought a smaller ranch nearby last December.
Posted in Park | Tags: John Muir Land Trust, Johnson Ranch, Tilden Park
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 24, 2026
Surprising Humpback Whale Behavior
SpaceDaily
Humpback whales are interrupting orca hunts to rescue completely different species, swimming underneath a doomed seal and lifting it out of the water on their chest, or forming a wall between the killers and a grey whale calf, and scientists still can’t fully explain why they bother to save animals they have nothing to gain from
For years, humpback whales have been mysteriously intervening in orca hunts to save animals they’ll never meet again—a pattern so bizarre that marine biologists are still searching for a plausible explanation.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Humpback Whales, Orcas
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 23, 2026
Theodore Payne Foundation Upcoming Events
Theodore Payne Foundation inspires and educates Southern Californians about the beauty and ecological benefits of California native plant landscapes.We are located on 22 acres of canyon land in the northeast corner of the San Fernando Valley. Our full-service native plant nursery, seed room, book store, art gallery, demonstration gardens, and hiking trails are open to the public year round. We offer garden tours and classes for adults and families, as well as field trips to TPF and in-classroom programs for children. Friendly on-leash dogs are welcome and there is no admission charge!
See upcoming events at Theodore Payne Foundation Events – Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite
Posted in Class/Workshop | Tags: Theodore Payne Foundation Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 23, 2026
With Bay Area common murres starving, biologists fear the worst
SF Gate reported
The number of common murres washing ashore in critical condition has alarmed experts. These charcoal-and-white seabirds rarely come to land.
International Bird Rescue has taken in 162 of the penguin look-alikes from Northern California beaches this year, with a notable spike since August. Many are starving.
Read more at With Bay Area common murres starving, biologists fear the worst
Posted in Birds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 23, 2026
Golden mussels spread to East Bay’s Lake Del Valle for the first time
SF Gate reported
Golden mussels have spread to a popular reservoir in the East Bay, prompting officials to enforce a 30-day quarantine on all boaters who launch at Lake Del Valle in Livermore, where the invasive species recently emerged.
Read more Golden mussels spread to East Bay’s Lake Del Valle for the first time
Posted in Environment | Tags: Golden Mussels, Lake Del Valle
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 23, 2026
Conservationists carry the eggs of the world’s rarest duck for 44km on foot. Here’s why
Discover Wildlife reported
After heavy rainfall threatened nests of the Madagascar pochard, the world’s rarest duck, conservationists collected its eggs from the wild. They then carried them 44km on foot to a specialist breeding centre – resulting in a successful rearing of a new generation.
Read more Conservationists carry the eggs of the world’s rarest duck for 44km on foot. Here’s why
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 22, 2026
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Native Plant Sale 10/3/26
Public sale hours are 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with exclusive access for Friends members starting at 9:00 a.m. Friends memberships may be purchased at the Garden starting at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the sale, or in advance on the Garden website.
The sale will feature a wide array of California native plants propagated and grown from the Regional Parks Botanic Garden collection. An inventory of the plants that will be available will be published in early September.
Posted in Garden | Tags: California Native Plant Sale
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 22, 2026
Investigation into 10 lion deaths in Tanzania focused on poisoning
NPR reported
The lions were found dead inside the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, a popular wildlife reserve in Tanzania. Deaths raise concerns over wildlife poisonings in East Africa.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Animal Poisoning, Lions
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 22, 2026
New Wildlife Discovery in the Dark
SpaceDaily reported
A creature that spends its entire life in crushing darkness a kilometre beneath the waves appeared, alive, at the sunlit surface off Tenerife in 2025, and marine biologists are still debating what dragged it up from a world it was never meant to leave.
The appearance of a deep-sea creature that should have died in the pressure change raises a troubling question: what catastrophic force could bring something from the abyss back to the sun?
Posted in Animals | Tags: Black Seadevil., Humpback Anglerfish, Melanocetus johnsonii
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 21, 2026
Birds are running out of places to land: 45% of migratory bird species now in decline – BirdLife International
BirdLife International today publishes the State of the World’s Birds report at the Global Flyways Summit in Nairobi.
— Read on www.birdlife.org/news/2026/09/11/birds-are-running-out-of-places-to-land-45-of-migratory-bird-species-now-in-decline/
Posted in Birds | Tags: Migratory Birds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 20, 2026
Monarch butterflies are on their way to Mexico. States are helping them on their way : NPR
NPR reported
Eastern monarch butterflies are flying more than 2,000 miles south, through the central U.S., to overwinter in Mexico. We look at a project aimed to help the pollinators along their journey.
Posted in Butterflies | Tags: Monarch Butterflies
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 20, 2026
Retired Teacher Plants 10,000 Oaks to Help Restore Southern California’s Fire-Scarred Landscapes – NewsBreak
NewsBreak reported
California is losing its oaks. One man is planting 10,000, including in tree-scarce Altadena
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Oak Planting
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 20, 2026
Photos from Regional Parks Botanic Garden September 16, 2026 part 2
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on September, 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.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Regional Park Botanic Garden, Tilden Botanic Garden
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 20, 2026
Humpback whale swims 60 miles inland after losing way from SF Bay
SF Gate reported
It’s not clear if the whale, named Rio, is still in the Delta near Rio Vista, or if it managed to escape back toward freedom.
Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/humpback-whale-rio-vista-delta-22440681.php
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 20, 2026
Dragonflies help protect water and ancestral Indigenous languages in Colombia
Monga Bay reported
- Researchers investigating Colombia’s remote region of Guainía have identified nearly 120 dragonfly and damselfly species, uncovering a biodiversity hotspot for these insects.
- Dragonflies rely on pristine freshwater ecosystems, but their aquatic habitats face growing pressure from regional deforestation, unmanaged waste and exponential tourism.
- By naming in their ancestral languages and monitoring local dragonflies, communities are deepening their understanding of ecosystem health and connecting biodiversity and ancestral wisdom with water protection.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Dragonflies
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