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Sacramento County Animals Digest



Mountain Lion Attack in El Dorado County

03/23/2024

A man was fatally attacked and his brother injured by a mountain lion in a remote area near Georgetown.

“Incredibly Strong” Steelhead Returns This Year

03/23/2024

Unlike the record low Chinook salmon returns on the Sacramento River this year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife noted a new record for the number of steelhead returning to the Mokelumne River.

Information About Sacramento Zoo Relocation Project to Elk Grove Released

03/23/2024

The City of Elk Grove has released information about the financing for the $400M multi-phase project to move the Sacramento Zoo to Elk Grove, but questions remain.

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.

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.

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.

Imperiled Monarch Butterflies Cling to Survival in California

01/30/2024

Monarch butterflies have a long way to go before reaching stable population numbers.

A Record Number of Californians Are Visiting Emergency Rooms for Dog Bites

01/25/2024

Those pandemic puppies are growing up to be a public health concern.

Invasive Flies Are Inching Closer Toward Ruining California’s Economy

01/24/2024

For months, the California Department of Food and Agriculture has been waging war on the oriental fruit fly, a voracious pest that can attack hundreds of types of fruits and vegetables.

Largest Dam Removal in U.S. History Begins

01/16/2024

The removal entered a critical phase with the lowering of dammed reservoirs on the Klamath River. “This is historic and life-changing,” tribal attorney Amy Cordalis said. “And it means that the Yurok people have a future.”

New Year Brings Protections for Deep-Sea Corals and Ocean Fishing Opportunities

01/08/2024

New rules took effect Jan. 1 permanently protecting the most fragile deep sea corals off Southern California. Simultaneously, more than 4,500 square miles of ocean waters are now reopened to fishing after more than 20 years of closures.

The Chickadee in the Snowbank

01/04/2024

Research shows that a mountain chickadee facing deep snow is like a canary in a coal mine—its survivability tells us about the challenges ahead.

Avian Flu Outbreak Hammers California Poultry Industry

01/04/2024

An outbreak of the avian flu that began in California in October has killed 5.5 million birds throughout the Golden State. About 20% of the deaths have come in Sonoma County.

San Diego Zoo Displays World’s Rarest Insect

12/27/2023

Visitors can see the critically endangered Lord How Island stick insect, on display for the first time in North America, in a special habitat at the zoo’s Wildlife Explorers Basecamp.

Collisions With Buildings Are Killing Millions of Birds Nationwide

12/26/2023

A dark-sky movement to save birds from window strikes is sweeping the San Francisco Bay Area. Several cities have passed or are drafting laws restricting light pollution while making windows easier for birds to see.

A Deeper Look at ‘No Kill’ Animal Control in Los Angeles

12/25/2023

Novelist Jonathan Franzen looks at how trap-neuter-release policies in feral cat colonies have troubling consequences for city residents, local wildlife and even the felines themselves.

How Gruesome Seal Deaths on the California Coast Revealed a Surprise Predator

12/22/2023

Sarah Grimes investigates reports of dead marine mammals up and down the coast. So when she began finding the decapitated bodies of harbor seal pups just a few miles north of Fort Bragg in 2016, she was on the case. Grimes wasn’t able to pin down the culprit until last year, with the help of a UCSC student.

Ranchers, Tribes Clash Over Water, Salmon Ahead of Sweeping New Irrigation Regulations

12/17/2023

Salmon populations in the Scott and Shasta rivers have crashed, so state officials are about to restrict irrigation again. And the controversial rules may even become permanent.

Millions of Birds Lose Precious Energy Due to New Year’s Eve Fireworks

12/11/2023

Birds are affected by the mass use of fireworks on New Year’s Eve up to a distance of 10 km away, reports an international team of researchers.

Coyotes More Likely To Turn Up at Wealthier Properties in San Francisco

12/08/2023

A coyote recently was found at the $27 million Russian Hill home of AI mogul Sam Altman. This relates to a study, which found that coyote sightings were more frequent in higher-income areas of San Francisco.

Plan to Eliminate Catalina’s Deer Infuriates Locals

12/07/2023

Conservationists intend to shoot all of the deer on Santa Catalina Island by helicopter. Some people are opposed, either for not wanting to eliminate the deer or for missing out on future chances to hunt them.

Sacramento County Launches Mobile Clinic for Pets of Unhoused Residents

12/06/2023

Aptly named the PAWS Clinic (Pet Aid and Wellness Services), the first-of-its-kind mobile veterinary clinic focuses on caring for pets owned by homeless residents.

White House Allocates Millions for Burps from California Cows

11/24/2023

Livestock are responsible for half of all methane emissions in California. The White House is giving $21.4 million to California Dairies and $22.8 million to Dairy Farmers of America to help change this.

Southern California Has Wolves Again, for the First Time in Nearly 150 Years

11/13/2023

A 2021 fire has helped bring wolves back to Southern California for the first time since the 19th century. A rancher is worried about how to keep wolves, which are federally protected, from harming cattle.

NOAA: New Funding to Help Bring California Salmon Back from the Brink

11/06/2023

The Office of Habitat Conservation’s Restoration Center has awarded $27.8 million to bring Central California Coast coho salmon back to California rivers, funding projects by Trout Unlimited, the San Mateo and Gold Ridge Resource Conservation Districts, and the Nature Conservancy.

A Big Year of Snow in California Was Horrific for Endangered Sheep

10/31/2023

Researchers tell LAist that half of California’s population of Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, which are endangered, died last winter due to record weather. Causes of death include avalanches, starvation and getting eaten by mountain lions after moving to lower elevations for food.

Heat Waves Harm Bird Reproduction on Ag Lands

10/28/2023

A team of UC Davis researchers found that birds nesting near farmland were half as likely to have at least one fledgling successfully leave the nest when temperatures spiked. However, forests seemed to provide a protective buffer against high temperatures.

Graphic Novel Illustrates Plight of Mountain Lions

10/20/2023

Written by Center for Biological Diversity scientist Tiffany Yap and illustrated by artist Meital Smith, “Tales of the Urban Wild: A Puma’s Journey” takes the reader through diverse habitats, across busy freeways and inside science labs to learn about one mountain lion’s survival story.

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