Santa Clara County Local News: Animals

12/01/2023
A beaver that is recolonizing the Matadero Creek in Palo Alto was taken to the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley after being spotted immobile in a pile of leaves, officials said.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

10/13/2023
The famed Barron Park donkeys got a new member, April, who has joined the company of residents Perry and Buddy.

10/03/2023
Inspired by community concerns about the lack of safe passage for animals crossing Highway 17, Los Altos-based Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has launched a multi-year project to build a wildlife undercrossing and a recreational trail overcrossing.

09/29/2023
Dog owners in south Palo Alto have plenty of reasons to get excited as they watch the city add new fenced play areas for their furry companions. But things are different in the north, where supply hasn't kept up with demand.

09/26/2023
A small number of wild birds have tested positive for West Nile virus in Redwood City, Menlo Park and other parts of San Mateo County, prompting authorities to ask the public to report any dead birds they encounter.

09/26/2023
A woman who was under investigation for the disappearance and death of a Palo Alto family's beloved German shepherd in January has been arrested and charged in Massachusetts in connection with a dog-training scam.

09/12/2023
There’s an official state bird, mineral, tree, fish, insect, lichen, fabric, sport, dance, soil and even dinosaur.

09/07/2023
Parts of Santa Clara County have been placed under quarantine after invasive oriental fruit flies were detected in cities such as Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, county officials said.

08/25/2023
A young beaver was spotted in the Palo Alto Baylands this week, marking perhaps the beginning of the return of the aquatic herbivores after more than 160 years.

08/17/2023
In a new study published Aug. 17 in the journal Science, fossil records at La Brea Tar Pits indicate that the disappearance of California’s sabertooth cats, dire wolves and other large mammals nearly 13,000 years ago was linked to rising temperatures and fire activity spurred by people.

08/15/2023
Founded in 2005 in West Sacramento, Wag Hotels caters to a clientele that includes wealthy pet owners from Silicon Valley to Hollywood. But more than a dozen Wag clients told the San Francisco Chronicle that in their experience, Wag Hotels has neglected dogs and put them in danger.

08/15/2023
California’s only native sunfish, the Sacramento perch, was once abundant before invasive species decimated it. As the planet heats up and threatens cold-water game fish, the Sacramento perch may be on the cusp of a comeback, thanks to its ability to tolerate warm water.

08/14/2023
Palo Alto reaffirmed its commitment to stick with Pets In Need as the city’s animal service provider even as some City Council members urged a broad reevaluation of the rocky partnership.

08/11/2023
The new pack consists of at least five individuals not previously detected in California, including one adult female, who is a direct descendant of California’s first documented wolf in the state in recent history, (OR7), and four offspring (two females, two males).