There are two species of skunk in the Bay Area, the familiar striped skunk, and the less common spotted skunk.
Why Do Skunks Dance?
January 11, 2022 •
Michael Ellis
Send your questions to atn@baynature.org.Santa Rosa-based naturalist Michael Ellis leads nature trips throughout the world with Footloose Forays (footlooseforays.com).
When You Find a Feather, What Can It Teach You?
October 6, 2021 •
Currently, birds are the only creatures in existence that have feathers.
How Do Oak Trees Survive Fire?
June 23, 2021 •
As long as fires are not intense infernos, most oaks will survive them.
How do Birds Know Which Way to Migrate?
March 30, 2021 •
75 percent of the 650 birds that nest in North America migrate. Research new and old sheds light on how birds know where to go and how to get there.
What’s It Like Inside a Woodrat Nest?
January 3, 2021 •
What might seem like a haphazard assemblage of forest debris belies a very complicated interior design.
Do Sea Anemones Live Forever?
September 27, 2020 •
As long as they aren’t poisoned or eaten, sea anemones just keep on keeping on. But how?
Do Dolphins and Porpoises Live in San Francisco Bay?
June 21, 2020 •
They haven’t always been here, but they are now.
How Do Birds Know How to Build Nests?
March 24, 2020 •
There are 10,000-plus species of birds in the world, about 1,100 species in the United States, and 350 or so in the greater Bay Area, so there is great variability in nests. But the basic purpose of any nest is … Read more
Why Do Mushrooms Return to the Same Place?
January 6, 2020 •
Do mushrooms require a certain kind of substrate?
Where Do Turtles Go in Winter and Summer?
September 16, 2019 •
Where do turtles go in the winter and summer? —Alma, Sebastopol I am assuming you are referring to our only native freshwater turtle—the western pond turtle—which you might see basking in the sun and then quickly kerplunking right into the … Read more