Hunters and hunted. It’s the law of the natural world. Some critters are on the top, some were destined to be lunch. But even those on the high end of the food chain often become meals for others in that Great Circle of Life. But we humans have altered the scene over the decades and […]
Fireflies may be the quintessential East Coast and Midwest bug, but some glowing nocturnal beetles also call Southern California their home. Recently a new species of firefly was discovered in SoCal by an undergraduate student at University of California, Riverside who was investigating the wildlands of Topanga for his semester’s insect collection requirement. According to […]
Imagine a preschool where youngsters will learn their ABC’s and 123’s among the birds and the trees – that’s the theory behind the first ever pre-K program in Southern California to be established at a nature center. The new pre-K facility will be housed at the Environmental Nature Center (ENC) in Newport Beach, a location […]
A little morbid? Maybe. But that dead animal or bird you discover could help scientists evaluate the health of wildlife populations as well as prevent and control diseases. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced a new online tool for citizens to use when they find dead animals. Though still relatively new, the online […]
One young female mountain lion recently took a leap from her Santa Monica Mountain homelands toward the wider and bigger pastures north toward the Santa Susana Mountains – and wildlife researchers are rejoicing. The 16-month old lioness, being tracked as P-33, someone managed to cross the eight-lane 101 freeway near Camarillo and now is exploring […]
The San Diego Habitat Conservancy and the San Diego Zoo Global will be participating in a newly formed desert tortoise conservation bank which is located on 7,400 acres of private land in Eastern San Bernardino County owned by the Cadiz land and water development company. The Fenner Desert Tortoise Conservation Bank will provide permanent protection […]
Stop blaming spiders when you get bitten by an unknown insect. That’s the word from a team of scientists, led by an entomologist at the University of California Riverside who wants everyone to rest easy that a spider is NOT the culprit when you get a large red welt and pus-filled itchy skin eruption. After […]
The all-inclusive Southern California bio-region – under one roof? Is it possible to convey the complexities and intricacies of the diversity we have around us in one exhibit? After all, our SoCal terrain is one of only 35 biodiversity hotspots in the world given our high concentration of different species of any geographic area of […]
One, two, three, four…spend this winter as the ultimate patriot when you volunteer to be a bald eagle counter at various locations in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains. No saluting is necessary, but you’ll feel a sense of American pride when you spot one. Guaranteed. Coordinated by the United States Forest Service and […]
Urban coyotes are in the news again lately with the pack-loving canines causing more –than-usual havoc in some SoCal residential areas. (Can we blame this activity on the drought? Less food options in our wild areas? Or are we making life too easy for them with our urban smorgasbord of backyard pets and overflowing trashcans?) […]
How wild animals move around the landscape and healthy environments that can sustain them will be some of the topics covered by Dr. Jodi Hilty, executive director of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), as part of the Malibu Library Speaker Series. The talk takes place on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 7 pm at the Malibu […]
Body of water…. a wet concrete sidewalk…..sure, there’s a difference, but many eared grebes aren’t seeing it these days. The International Bird Rescue (IBR) reports that its San Pedro facility is taking care of 50 grebes, twice the amount of these migratory coastal birds they usually see this year – and no one knows why. […]