Update: Sea Otter Census Numbers Rise
Since our story went to press, there’s been some good news for the Southern Sea Otter: census numbers for the California population soared by 17 percent since last year. More...
Science and Nature
Books about the Ocean
While we’re out at the ocean, let’s review several recent books that will make the visit more rewarding. Foghorn Outdoors has just released the third edition of California Beaches: The...
Great White Shark Diving
While most beachgoers or surfers in Northern California would prefer never to meet up with great white sharks, some folks are actually paying big bucks for the privilege of such...
Southern Resident Killer Whale in Monterey Bay
A funny thing happened in 2000. And again in 2003. For the first and second time in recorded history, a southern resident killer whale entered the waters of Monterey Bay....
West Nile Virus
Amid predictions that the West Nile virus will reach the Bay Area some time this summer, local health and pest control authorities are keeping a sharp eye out for mosquitoes...
Eye to Eye with Otters
Dubbed the cosmic center of the universe by locals, Elkhorn Slough is one of the richest wetlands along the California coast, a magnet for wildlife and humans alike. And the...
Do mockingbirds have their own specific song or are they mimicking other birds’ songs?
Northern mockingbirds, year-round residents of the Bay Area (having expanded their breeding range here after the arrival of European settlers), each develop their own songs. Similar to those of other...
A History of the Reservoirs of the East Bay
Lakes aren't a natural feature of the coast range landscape. But since cities need places to store drinking water, we drowned some valleys for reservoirs. While precious creek habitat was...
Pacific Lamprey
Over the years, a lot of attention has been paid to declining salmon and trout populations in the Bay Area. But in the meantime, the Pacific lamprey has been overlooked....
San Francisco Lakes
Today, only three natural freshwater lakes are left in San Francisco—Mountain Lake, Pine Lake, and Lake Merced. In 1995 the lakes were designated Significant Natural Resource Areas by the San...
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