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Santa Clara County Animals Digest



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.

H5N1 Bird Flu Infects California Dairy Cows

09/11/2024

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

Positive Rabies Test in Santa Cruz

09/04/2024

On September 3, the Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency reported a bat discovered in Soquel had tested positive for rabies.

Rabid Bat Reported in Palo Alto

08/21/2024

The Santa Clara County Public Health reported a dead rabid bat was found near downtown Palo Alto on August 13.

Young Birder of the Year Announced

07/07/2024

San Jose teen Chris Henry was named a Young Birder of the Year by the American Birding Association.

MidPen Moving Forward With Highway 17 Crossing

06/20/2024

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District board voted to move forward with a $38 project to provide a safe crossing of Highway 17 near the Lexington Resrvoir for both people and wildlife.

Peregrine Falcons Rescued in San Jose

06/08/2024

Wildlife rescuers responded whena young peregrine falcon fell from its nest and another got stuck in an alcove at San Jose City Hall.

Mountain Lion Reported in San Jose

06/07/2024

A mountain lion sighting was reported near Happy Hollow Park and Zoo and Kelley Park on Senter Road in San Jose on June 6.

California’s Brown Pelicans are Starving

05/28/2024

Starving brown pelicans are being spotted across the state, and changes to the food chain might be the cause.

Billions of Cicadas Are Invading the U.S. Should Californians Be Worried?

05/05/2024

It is being called the Cicada-pocalypse and the Cicada-geddon. Over the next few weeks, hundreds of billions, maybe even trillions of cicadas — grasshopper-like insects — will emerge from underground burrows all across the Midwest and the South where they have been living for as long as the past 17 years.

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.

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.

The Bobcats of San Jose

03/13/2024

Shravan Sundaram is an environmental scientist who photographs urban bobcats in the South Bay, including in San Jose.

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.

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.

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.

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