At Point Pinole, 21 sturgeon carcasses––some more than seven feet long––lay strewn along a mile-long stretch of beach in late August 2022, baking in the relentless heat. It was the peak of the largest harmful algal bloom on record in … Read more
First Look
Timely news, art, ideas and science from the natural world of Northern California.
How Indigenous People Got Some Land Back in Oakland
December 13, 2022 •
The city of Oakland just made history by giving over five acres in Joaquin Miller Park to an Indigenous land trust’s stewardship. But the backstory was decades in the making.
How a ‘Sturgeon Surgeon’ Tracks the Bay’s Giant, Stealthy Living Fossils
December 8, 2022 •
Researchers are investigating the secrets of our two resident sturgeon species, which have razor-sharp armor and shlorp up clams with their vacuum-shaped mouths.
A Warm Welcome to Bay Nature’s New Executive Director and Publisher
December 7, 2022 •
A note from Regina Starr Ridley, Bay Nature’s outgoing leader, introducing her successor, Wes Radez.
Why Sneaker Waves Are So Insidious
November 17, 2022 •
Every now and then, the ocean sneaks up on the land, with a wave that’s bigger than all the rest. Scientists are working out where these dangerous waves come from.
When the Air Is an Orchestra: Visually Impaired Birders On Paying Attention
November 10, 2022 •
“I think people think that because blind people can’t see, we don’t know birds. But they’re the nearest part of nature,” says poet Susan Glass.
The Sea Otter That Stole a Surfboard in Santa Cruz Remains Free … For Now
November 3, 2022 •
She was born in captivity, it turns out. And she’ll only get to stay free and wild if she behaves—so humans should definitely not feed her, take selfies with her, or try to be her friend.
Spooky, Scary Scorpions? Actually, Not So Much. (You Aren’t Worth the Venom.)
October 27, 2022 •
A little too hairy and a little too pinchy to classify as charismatic, scorpions strike fear in the hearts of many—through no fault of their own. A scorpion expert sets the record straight on these gentle loners.
The Nearly Unkillable Eucalyptus Meets Its Match
October 20, 2022 •
Eucalyptus trees on Albany Hill are wasting away from blight. Some people may cheer—but these trees are also home to endangered monarchs.
Announcing Bay Nature’s 2023 Local Heroes
October 18, 2022 •
Each year, Bay Nature recognizes remarkable local leaders and activists in conservation and nature