Oodles of nudibranchs showed up in Lake Merritt after the harmful algal bloom of August 2022. These sea slugs appeared in record breaking numbers, taking Oakland’s beloved tidal lagoon by storm.
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 the larvae of bark beetles in the subfamily Scolytinae.
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 (aka ‘eDNA’) is starting to transform how ecologists work in the Bay Area and beyond.
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 is sweeping through domestic and wild bird populations worldwide.
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.
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.
The Bird Nest Detectives
Century-old bird nests help scientists time-travel to San Francisco Bay’s lost plant communities.
How a ‘Sturgeon Surgeon’ Tracks the Bay’s Giant, Stealthy Living Fossils
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.
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 high.