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Monterey County Animals Digest



Monterey Audubon Society Names First Executive Director

11/28/2024

Meet Shannon Connor, the first ever executive director of the Monterey Audubon Society, and learn more about group and their plans for the future.

California Dairies Ignore Bird Flu Threat

11/25/2024

Learn how health officials and California dairies are responding, or not, to the explosive spread of bird flu through dairy herds across the state.

Unstoppable Invasion: How Did Mussels Sneak Into California, Despite Decades of State Shipping Rules?

11/25/2024

Most ships discharging ballast water into California waters are inspected, but state officials have tested the water of only 16 ships. Experts say invaders like mussels are inevitable under current rules and enforcement.

A California Child Tested Positive for Bird Flu. Here’s Why This Case Is Different

11/19/2024

Bird flu has been spreading among dairy workers in California’s Central Valley, jumping from cows to people. A new suspected case in the Bay Area came from an unknown source.

Dozen Air Pumps Turned on in Monterey Harbor to Prevent Massive Anchovy Die-Off

11/04/2024

An invasion of anchovies has prompted Monterey’s harbor master to activate more than a dozen air pumps to add oxygen to the water, to prevent their mass suffocation.Hundreds of sea lions and pelicans are crowding the city’s waterfront, drawn by the schools of migrating Northern anchovies, city officials said in a weekly email on Friday.

Santa Clara County Ramps Up Response as Invasive Mosquito Detected in More Areas

11/01/2024

The invasive Aedes aegypti mosquitos have been detected in more areas of Santa Clara County, prompting officials to hold meetings to discuss their response to the threat posed by the species. 

A Century Later, Salmon Again Spawning in Klamath River After Dams Removed

10/31/2024

Sixty years ago, I was a reporter for the Klamath Falls (Oregon) Herald and News and with my family lived in a small house on the Link River, which flows out of Upper Klamath Lake, draining a large portion of the Cascade mountain range.

A Third Straight Year With No California Salmon Fishing?  Early Fish Counts Suggest It Could Happen

10/30/2024

Low counts of spawning salmon could mean another year without fishing. Experts say the outlook still has time to turn around.

Bird Flu Jumped From Cows to People. Now Advocates Want More Farmworkers Tested

10/29/2024

A strain of bird flu that imperiled California poultry and cattle has jumped to people. In humans, the symptoms are mild and the virus has not been transmitted among people.

Is a New Plan for Delivering Delta Water Worse Than Trump’s Rules? Environmentalists Say Yes.

10/24/2024

Growers support a federal and state proposal for operating California’s massive systems that send river water south. But it could harm more salmon and other endangered fish.

Spotlight on the Monterey Bay Aquarium

09/27/2024

The Monterey Herald takes a look at the history and management of the Monterey Bay Aquarium as it approaches its 40th anniversary.

H5N1 Bird Flu Infects California Dairy Cows

09/11/2024

H5N1 bird flu has been reported in three California dairy herds.

State Health Officials Warn Against Shellfish Harvesting

07/21/2024

Residents of Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties are warned against local recreational shellfish harvesting due to toxic local algae blooms and red tides.

Great White Sharks Return to Santa Cruz

06/13/2024

Young Great White sharks are convening in the warm waters of Soquel Cove off Seacliff State Beach between Capitola and Rio Del Mar.

The Passing of Rosa is Mourned

06/13/2024

Rosa the sea otter, resident at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, passed away at the age of 24.

Researchers to Study Spring Bay Orcas

05/18/2024

Researchers from the California Killer Whale Project and Vancouver-based Ocean Wise will be utilizing an innovative technique to study the local orca population.

California Wants Better Animal Shelter Conditions, Stray Population Curbed

04/24/2024

Several bills making their way through the California Legislature seek to address overcrowded animal shelters and streamline how animals receive care.

As Salmon Are Released Into the Klamath River, Tribal Leaders See a 'Symbol of Hope'

04/20/2024

California has released 500,000 salmon into the Klamath River. As dams are removed, the fish will be some of the first to return to a free-flowing river.

Officials Search for Gray Whale Seen Trapped in Fishing Net Off Bay Area Coast

04/14/2024

Obstacles are mounting for officials who are attempting to rescue a young gray whale that was discovered entangled in a gillnet off Laguna Beach was recently sighted off the coast of Thornton State Beach in Daly City .

Salmon Populations Are Struggling, Bringing Economic Woes for California's Fishing Fleet

03/30/2024

Captains of fishing boats on the California coast are bracing for salmon fishing to be severely restricted — or possibly canceled for a second year.

Dungeness Crab Season to End Early

03/28/2024

California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials ordered an April 8 close to the commercial season to citing the risk of fishing gear entanglement by migrating humpback whales.

Feds Propose Killing Nearly 500,000 'Invasive' Owls to Save Calif. Native Owls

03/27/2024

The goal is to eliminate habitat competition between "invasive" owls and native owls.

Bay of Life Exhibit Opens at CSUMB

03/19/2024

Monterey Bay residents Frans Lanting and Chris Eckstrom, renowned for their work documenting nature, have opened a new exhibit titled "Bay of Life: From Wind To Whales" at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) .

Awaiting the Count—Gray Whales Population Has Been Declining

02/24/2024

There was a time not so long ago when trained observers were overwhelmed by the number of whales migrating through Monterey Bay.

Central Coast Ranch That Is Home to Endangered Species to Be Preserved

02/23/2024

The Wildlife Conservation Board voted to award $10.3 million to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to preserve the 27,000-acre Camatta Ranch in Santa Margarita.

Eager Crowds Are Threatening a Bay Area Beach Ecosystem, Scientists Warn

02/14/2024

Foragers at the beaches in Half Moon Bay might be damaging the area’s reef.

All This Rain Could Invite Mosquitoes Into Your Backyard

02/14/2024

While temperatures aren’t warm enough for mosquitoes to run rampant, now’s the time to prevent breeding grounds.

The Wild Pig Problem in Monterey County

02/09/2024

Pigs running down the streets of Salinas? “It’s not too far-fetched,” says one trapper. After incessant rain, Monterey County is experiencing a big pig problem.

Conservation Groups Initiate Legal Action Against Feds for Failing to Protect Wolves

02/07/2024

Ten conservation groups filed an intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its failure to list western wolves under the Endangered Species Act.

New ‘Toothless’ Walrus Discovered Along California Coast

02/01/2024

An extinct species of walrus was unearthed in Santa Cruz County, evoking a time when California was teeming with odd creatures that feel closer to fantasy than reality, researchers said.

Possibility of Wildlife-to-Human Crossover Heightens Concern About Chronic Wasting Disease

02/01/2024

Each fall, millions of hunters across North America bag deer. Over the winter, people chow down on the venison steaks, sausage, and burgers made from the animals.

Saving Salmon: Newsom Unveils Blueprint for Ending Decades-Long Decline

01/30/2024

Chinook and other salmon runs are collapsing. Conservation groups call it too little, too late. Plan includes dam removals and restoring river flows.

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