Don’t Blame the Bark Beetles
While walking in the woods, you’ve likely encountered a dead log engraved with maze-like squiggles. These natural carvings are known as beetle galleries, and the grooves are munched out by...
Wildlife
How the DNA We Leave Behind Can Help Conservation
Bits of DNA linger on the forest floor, in the ocean, and even in the air—and these strands have stories to tell, back at the lab. Here's how environmental DNA...
Avian Flu Claims at Least 7 California Condors—and a Beloved Bay Area Peregrine Falcon
Avian flu is hitting close to home, and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. California condors and a beloved San Jose falcon are the newest victims of this epidemic that...
Why State Wildlife Officials Took a Mountain Lion Cub From the Wild … Then Put It Back
It's the first time a cub has ever been successfully reunited with its mom. But some local residents say it shouldn’t have been taken in the first place.
On the Family Dramas (and Weird Feet) of the American Coot
One of the commonest birds on the shoreline has a soap opera for a home life. Coots fight for territory, which is about food—pond muck, insects, and the stakes are...
An Artist Goes Bird-Swatching
Artist Christopher Reiger's “field guides” are on view at the Laguna Environmental Center in Santa Rosa until April 28.
As Whale Populations Grow, Dungeness Crabbers Foresee Their Own Demise
For decades, whale migration and crabbing operated as a tag team. But now, the whales are coming sooner—widening the window for exposure to fishing gear.
When Will the Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument Open?
The Cotoni-Coast Dairies became a unit of the California Coastal National Monument in 2017. Following a two-year planning process, the Cotoni-Coast Dairies monument was slated to open in the fall...
A Sparkling Terror in the Dark, and Other Tales of Readers’ Wildlife Encounters
Readers submitted their mini-stories of nature encounters, including a thrill in the dark, a bobcat vs. squirrel drama, and a surprisingly aggressive flower.
Bay Area Nature Spring Almanac: Ringtails and Bushtits
This spring features ephemeral amphibians, sticky flowers, architectural bushtits, elusive not-cats, ocean drifters, and various antler enthusiasts.
