Sacramento County Animals Digest

North Natomas Regional Park has put a mixed flock of sheep and goats out to pasture, aiming to reduce the risk of fire this summer in the 130-acre regional park.

Local nonprofit Hope for Horses is trying to secure its own future, as its founder passes the reins to new leadership. The group is seeking donations to cover feed, veterinary care, and rehabilitation costs for its herd.

Low numbers of adult fall-run Chinook salmon returned to spawn in the Sacramento River in 2021, but the ocean abundance forecast for fall Chinooks is better than last year, according to federal and state scientists.

The Elk Grove City Council on Feb. 23 unanimously approved a $9.5 million purchase agreement for 100 acres of land for the potential relocation and expansion of the Sacramento Zoo in Elk Grove.

The city of Elk Grove has unanimously voted to purchase 100 acres of land in anticipation of a potential Sacramento Zoo move. The zoo, which is now only 14 acres, would be relocated to the northwest corner of Kammerer Road and Lotz Parkway.

Hank the Tank, that infamous oversized black bear from Lake Tahoe, won’t be killed or moved to a sanctuary after all. State wildlife officials originally said Hank was solely responsible for burglarizing nearly three dozen homes in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood.

California’s wildfires have been burning hotter and longer. Cal Fire keeps records of acres burned, structures destroyed and human lives lost, but there are no records of how many animals die or are injured by wildfires.

After two years of limitations due to the pandemic, the Effie Yeaw Bird and Breakfast event is back in its traditional format on March 19 and 27.

In collaboration with Fish and Wildlife Department officers, environmental activists have launched a campaign against poaching American River Parkway deer.

The 60 acres of real estate at Lotz Parkway and Kammerer Road represents an opportunity for Elk Grove to provide a new home for the animals in Sacramento’s aging zoo—and a turning point in its quest to become a regional destination.

With a new bill signed by Gavin Newsom, emotional support animals will not be permitted in as many stores and restaurants, clearing the way for legitimate guide dogs to be safer and more focused on their job.

The salmon population dropped significantly this year, and the Mokelumne River Fish Hatchery is actively looking for solutions.

While the Sacramento Zoo has struggled to get a definitive answer from politicians regarding its move and expansion, recently announced plans for the former Sleep Train Arena now bring an Elk Grove location into focus.

While everyone was welcoming the rain over the weekend, an unfortunate side effect has crawled to the surface. Brace yourself, because cockroaches have been emerging from Sacramento's sewers, and they are doing so quickly.

In not one of the city’s finest moments, Sacramento is moving up on Orkin’s Top 50 Rattiest Cities List. Sacramento ranked in the 29th spot in 2021, moving up seven places from last year.

The California Highway Patrol recently graduated 10 canine teams at its West Sacramento facility. Each team completed more than 400 hours of training to be certified.

The Folsom Zoo is currently accepting applications for volunteer docents, with hours starting in February 2022. Folsom Zoo is an animal sanctuary, with many aspects powered by animal-loving volunteers.

Once again, Effie Yeaw Nature Center will offer a registration-only spin on their traditional fall festival. Children will have the opportunity to meet a horned owl along with bats and other critters native to the region.

For the fifth autumn in a row, biologists have failed to find any Delta smelt. This species used to be the most abundant fish in the waters several years back.

Many Sacramentans have been wondering what the recent influx of yellow butterflies stems from. They are actually displaced orange sulphur butterflies, and the answer is simple.

Following three years of construction, the Nimbus Fish Hatchery is ready for its fall run with a new ladder and flume system designed to help the salmon effectively repopulate.

Demonstrators protested outside of Gavin Newsom’s Fair Oaks home against factory farms, while others piled up charred pieces of wood from wildfires into a truck and dumped it on the street in front of his property.

Negotiations have begun to move the Sacramento Zoo to Elk Grove. This news comes after years of planning potential relocation sites throughout the Sacramento region.

Local mosquito control officials announced on Sept. 2 that an invasive mosquito species was discovered in Elk Grove and Orangevale.

A recent UC Davis study finds dams, a long-touted solution toward conservation efforts for salmon and steelhead, are actually ineffective and a waste of funds.

As the Caldor Fire continues to grow, animals are running for their lives out of the area. Local rescue groups are working hard to provide for all the wildlife creatures coming their way.

Kent Laudon, California’s wolf biologist, had been watching the Dixie Fire burn through the Lassen Pack’s home range, wondering how many wolves had survived. On Aug. 25, he got his answer.

Haflinger horses are being used to pull trash out of Steelhead Creek during the Horse Project, a cleanup effort using horses to remove large debris and invasive vegetation from the channel of Steelhead Creek in the American River Parkway.

Capital Cat Cafe will be coming to Sacramento this winter, affording patrons an opportunity to relax with a cup of joe while snuggling cats.

Morsey’s Farm in Wilton has imported hundreds of Asian water buffaloes that provide milk and meat for Sacramento residents looking for something a bit more exotic.

The Zoe K. McCrea Animal Health Center, the largest spay and neuter provider in Sacramento County, has opened in the form of a new 10,000-square-foot facility inside of the Sacramento SPCA.

Intended to relieve the stress of air travel, the BARC support dogs are back at Sacramento International Airport after an 18-month hiatus due to the pandemic. Dogs in the program, founded in 2015, wear bright blue "pet me" vests inviting all nervous travelers to do so.