krctv reported
Nearly one million young salmon are being released this week into flooded rice fields near the Yolo Bypass. The project is a partnership with stakeholders from
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 4, 2026
Nearly one million salmon released into California rice fields to aid survival and growth
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Salmon
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 4, 2026
Rapid expansion of ring-necked parakeets in UK sparks concern
The Guardian reported
Bird organisations say more research on the species needed to control impact on other wildlife.
In the past 20 years, the soundscape in the ancient wild, rolling landscape of Richmond Park has been transformed. Once you would have heard the chirrup of the stonechat, the chirp of the great spotted woodpecker or the song of the skylark. Today, the auditory power of one bird dominates.
The bright green ring-necked parakeet increased 25-fold from 1994-2023 in the UK.
Read more Rapid expansion of ring-necked parakeets in UK sparks concern
Posted in Birds | Tags: Ring-necked parakeets
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 3, 2026
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Upcoming Events
See upcoming events calendar of hikes and programs at https://www.abdnha.org/calendar1.htm.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 3, 2026
Over 2,200 miles of Calif. dirt roads closed to protect desert tortoise
SF Gate reported
Off-roading is now off-limits on routes spanning 1 million acres of the western Mojave Desert after a six-year legal battle over whether adding thousands of miles of new dirt roads would harm the desert tortoise.
Read more Over 2,200 miles of Calif. dirt roads closed to protect desert tortoise
Posted in Animals, Desert | Tags: Desert Tortoise, Mojave Desert
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 3, 2026
California wildlife officials quietly shift on killing a high-profile predator
Phys.org
In a move that reverses nearly a decade of practice, California wildlife officials have quietly begun to allow killing mountain lions in order to protect another iconic native—bighorn sheep.
Read more California wildlife officials quietly shift on killing a high-profile predator
Posted in Animals | Tags: Big Horn Sheep, Mountain LIons
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026
Upcoming CNPS Events
See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events
Posted in Talks | Tags: Upcoming CNPS Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026
US judge allows last of five offshore wind projects halted by Trump to proceed
The Guardian reported
All five offshore wind projects halted by the Trump administration in December can resume construction after a federal judge’s ruling on Monday that cleared Denmark’s Ørsted to proceed with its Sunrise Wind project off the coast of New York.
Read more US judge allows last of five offshore wind projects halted by Trump to proceed
Posted in Environment | Tags: Wind power
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026
Over 2,000 acres of Bay Area land preserved for $23M
SF Gate reported
The Peninsula Open Space Trust has purchased 2,284 acres of Sargent Ranch near the southern border of Santa Clara County along Highway 101, marking the largest land deal in the 49-year-old nonprofit’s history. The $23 million acquisition is the latest of three properties the trust has secured in its overarching goal to permanently conserve the entire 6,500-acre ranch that was once slated for commercial development as a quarry. It’s also one of the largest pieces of undeveloped private property in the South Bay.
Read more Over 2,000 acres of Bay Area land preserved for $23M
Posted in Park | Tags: Peninsula Open Space Trust land acquisition, Sargent Ranch
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 2, 2026
City bird beaks adapted quickly during COVID-19, research reveals
Bird Guides
Beak shapes in some common urban birds appear to have changed rapidly during the COVID‑19 pandemic, according to a new study.
This suggests that sudden shifts in food availability and human disturbance may have driven short‑term evolutionary responses.
Researchers examined museum specimens and live birds from several city populations in the United States, comparing beak morphology before, during and after the pandemic lockdowns that dramatically altered urban environments.
Read more City bird beaks adapted quickly during COVID-19, research reveals
Posted in Birds | Tags: Short‑term evolutionary responses
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026
Upcoming CNPS Events
See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events
Posted in Talks | Tags: Upcoming CNPS Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 1/31/26
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on January 31, 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 by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026
Magnolia cambelllii at UC Berkeley Botanical Garden
Magnolia cambelllii
Magnolia cambelllii
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026
A “super-tusker” elephant named Craig has died — of natural causes. That’s a good sign for elephant conservatio
Monga Bay reports
- The death of Craig, a widely known super tusker from Amboseli, drew attention not just because of his fame, but because he lived long enough to die of natural causes in a period when elephants with tusks like his are rarely spared.
- Craig’s life reflected decades of sustained protection in Kenya, where anti-poaching efforts and community stewardship have allowed some elephant populations to stabilize or grow after catastrophic losses in the late 20th century.
- His passing is also a reminder of what has been lost: Africa’s elephant population fell from about 1.3 million in 1979 to roughly 400,000 today, with forest elephants in particular still in steep decline.
- There are signs of cautious progress, including slowing demand for ivory and stronger legal protections, but continued habitat loss means that survival, even for the most protected elephants, remains uncertain.
Read more at What Craig’s long life reveals about elephant conservation
Posted in Birds | Tags: Craig the Elephant, Super Tusker
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 1, 2026
Pumas in Patagonia started feasting on penguins — but now they’re behaving strangely, a new study finds
LIve Science
Pumas in Patagonia are preying on penguins — and it’s changing how the big cats interact with each other.
The pumas in question reestablished themselves in an Argentinian national park that housed a penguin breeding colony — and the cats promptly began eating the birds. Now, it turns out the normally solitary cats that eat the penguins are tolerating each other more often than expected, new research published Wednesday (Dec. 17) in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B reports.
Read more at Pumas in Patagonia started feasting on penguins — but now they’re behaving strangely, a new study finds
Posted in Animals | Tags: Pumas Prey ON Penguins
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 31, 2026
Job Opportunities Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Parks
Are you looking for seasonal work in the great outdoors?
Sequoia and Kings Canyon are currently hiring for several positions, including maintenance, trails, equipment operator, utilities, and administrative support.
Find available positions, descriptions, and requirements on USAJOBS.gov by using the location filter for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Please pay careful attention to the application instructions listed in the description.
NPS photo
Alt text: 1. Clouds roll over the landscape in Sequoia. 2. The river flows through Tokopah Valley. 3. Giant sequoias in winter. 4. Dogwood blooms. 5. The General Grant Tree. 6. The Foothills Visitor Center with lupine in bloom.
Posted in Job Openings, Park
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 31, 2026
Sonoma County Old-Growth Redwood Reserve Set For Expansion
the Press Democrat reported
A San Francisco conservation group has reached an agreement to purchase 200 acres in northwest Sonoma County that will expand its existing old-growth redwood reserve east of Stewarts Point and Salt Point State Park.
Under the agreement, Save the Redwoods League will buy the property for $4 million from the family of the late Harold Richardson. The land will be added to the group’s Harold Richardson Redwoods Reserve, a 730-acre forest that was acquired from the family in 2018, bringing the combined reserve to nearly 1,000 acres.
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 31, 2026
Stingless bees from the Amazon granted legal rights in world first
The Guardian reported
Planet’s oldest bee species and primary pollinators were under threat from deforestation and competition from ‘killer bees’
Stingless bees from the Amazon have become the first insects to be granted legal rights anywhere in the world, in a breakthrough supporters hope will be a catalyst for similar moves to protect bees elsewhere.
Read more at Stingless bees from the Amazon granted legal rights in world first
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 30, 2026
Mineral dust accelerates Greenland ice sheet melt by promoting algae growth
Phys.com reported
Large-scale melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet is irreversible and happening at a rapid rate, and now a new international study is the first to understand why. A University of Waterloo scientist and a team of international collaborators found that airborne mineral dust and other aerosols are directly connected to how much algae grows on the ice. The algae interfere with albedo, or the reflection of the sun’s rays, exacerbating melting. The work is published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
Read on phys.org/news/2026-01-mineral-greenland-ice-sheet-algae.html
Posted in Environment | Tags: Greenland Glacial Melt
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 30, 2026
Poacher kills wolf from famed Yellowstone National Park pack
SF Gate reported
A Yellowstone National Park wolf strayed outside the national park. Then hunters illegally shot her.
Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/poacher-wolf-yellowstone-pack-21316264.php
Posted in Animals, Park | Tags: Wolves, Yellowstone
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 30, 2026
Calif. investigation uncovers underground market for endangered wildlife parts
SF Gate reported
California wildlife officials announced they have dismantled a large underground wildlife trafficking operation in Fresno and Madera counties, after federal agents intercepted a falsely labeled international shipment, Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said Friday.
Read more Calif. investigation uncovers underground market for endangered wildlife parts
Posted in Animals | Tags: Illegal sale endangered animal parats
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 29, 2026
Photos Of What’s Happening In My Garden in Late January
Posted in Garden, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Garden Flowers
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 29, 2026
Octopus caught riding on the back of the world’s fastest shark
Earth.com reported
An octopus rides on the back of a fast mako shark off the coast of New Zealand; a scientific video reveals an unusual interaction.
Read on www.earth.com/news/octopus-caught-riding-on-the-back-of-the-worlds-fastest-shark-in-the-open-ocean/
Posted in Animals | Tags: Octopus riding shark
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026
‘Please help’: Photos show Death Valley destruction from white Toyota
SF Gate reported
The National Park Service is ramping up its efforts to locate the driver of a California vehicle that illegally went off road in Death Valley National Park.
Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/death-valley-dunes-destruction-21320484.php
Posted in Desert, Park | Tags: Death Valley, Habitat destruction
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026
Friends of California Condors Wild and Free Upcoming Events
Friends of California Condors Wild and Free Upcoming Events at Events | Friends of California Condors Wild and Free
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026
10 Species Across U.S. Move Closer to Lifesaving Protections – Center for Biological Diversity
10 Species Across U.S. Move Closer to Lifesaving Protections
Extinction Crisis Threatens Olympic Marmots, Mount Pinos Sooty Grouse, Many Other Species
PORTLAND, Ore.— In response to petitions from the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that 10 species across the country warrant consideration for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
— Read on biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/10-species-across-us-move-closer-to-lifesaving-protections-2026-01-23/
Posted in Animals | Tags: Endangered species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026
Why crow populations are higher than ever in San Francisco
SF Gate reported
There’s been a sharp rise in crow numbers across the San Francisco Bay Area’s nine counties over the past five years.
Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/crow-populations-san-francisco-21316117.php
Posted in Birds | Tags: Doubling San Francisco Crow Population
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026
Mountain lion roaming San Francisco’s streets captured by wildlife officials
The Guardian reported
Wildlife officials in San Francisco captured a young mountain lion that was spotted roaming the streets of the city.
Authorities issued a warning to residents late on Monday, saying a mountain lion had been seen walking the streets in the Pacific Heights neighborhood and advised people to slowly back away from the animal if they encountered it.
They said on Tuesday morning the wild feline had been located, and later managed to capture the animal. The San Francisco Chronicle reported the mountain lion had been tranquilized and will be released into the wild.
Read more at Mountain lion roaming San Francisco’s streets captured by wildlife officials
Posted in Animals | Tags: Mountain Lion in San Francisco
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 28, 2026
Nobody knows why this snowy owl is orange
CBC Radio reported
Bird experts agree Creamsicle is rare — and potentially even unique — in its colouring. But they disagree about what’s behind the orange feathers. It could be a genetic mutation, an unfortunate accident, or the work of “nefarious miscreants.”
Read on www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/orange-snowy-owl-1.7486027
Posted in Birds | Tags: Unusual colored Snowy Owl
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 27, 2026
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 1/24/26
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on January 24, 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 by: Sandy Steinman | January 27, 2026
Joshua trees are flowering in the Calif. desert. That’s bad news.
Joshua trees normally start flowering in February. This year, the bloom started in late October.
— Read on www.sfgate.com/news/article/joshua-trees-early-bloom-21307157.php
Posted in Environment, Park, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Early Joshua Tree Bloom
Natural History Wanderings 