Wildlife

Wild Black Bear Pays a Surprise Visit to Sequoia Park Zoo in Eureka

Visitors weren’t the only ones checking out the animals at the Sequoia Park Zoo this week. A wild black bear…

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Salmon Are Surging Far Beyond Expectations After Klamath River Dam Removal

Just months after the historic removal of four major dams on the Klamath River, scientists and tribal leaders are stunned…

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New Wildlife Crossing Nears Completion on Highway 97 in Siskiyou County

A new wildlife crossing in Siskiyou County is nearly complete, marking a major step toward safer roads and healthier ecosystems…

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Kokanee Salmon Spawning Season Set to Return to Taylor Creek in Tahoe

Each fall, one of Lake Tahoe’s most unique wildlife spectacles comes alive at Taylor Creek. The Kokanee salmon are preparing…

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The Best Places to Go Bird Watching in Siskiyou County

Brought to you by Discover Siskiyou In a world with more than its share of quirky people, “bird nerds,” those…

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Wildlife Officials Prepare for Salmon to Return to Lower Klamath Lake

After more than a century away, salmon are once again pushing farther upstream on the Klamath River, and water managers…

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An Oral History of the Cantara Chemical Spill on the Sacramento River

Northern California is no stranger to disasters. Over time we’ve lived through earthquakes, volcanos, firenados, floods, mudslides and avalanches. Would…

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Northern California Condor Program Reaches Historic Milestone

A historic milestone has been reached in the skies over Northern California. The Northern California Condor Restoration Program (NCCRP) has…

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Klamath River Sees Salmon Surpass Key Barrier for First Time in a Century

For the first time in over a century, salmon are pushing farther into the upper Klamath Basin, a milestone that…

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Wolf Attacks Surge in Sierra Valley, Leaving Ranchers on Edge

California’s experiment in wolf coexistence has reached a breaking point in Sierra Valley, where wolf attacks on cattle have more…

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Dogs Help Track One of North America’s Rarest Mammals in Lassen Volcanic National Park

One of North America’s rarest mammals, the Sierra Nevada red fox, may be quietly roaming the high elevations around Lassen…

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Point Reyes Wins $2.7 Million for Tule Elk Restoration and Ranch Phase-Out

Point Reyes National Seashore is on the verge of major ecological change. With a new $2.7 million grant from the…

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Rumors of Bear Poaching in Humboldt County Proven False

Concerns about a possible poaching case in Eureka have been put to rest after a California Department of Fish and…

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NorCal Ranchers Are Using Drones, AC/DC, and Scarlett Johansson to Scare Wolves Away From Cattle

For centuries, ranchers have tried to protect livestock from wolves. Now, near the California-Oregon border, biologists are experimenting with a…

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Northern California County Grapples With Unprecedented Mountain Lion Activity

El Dorado County is seeing a startling surge in mountain lion activity. Residents report bold, unsettling encounters ranging from daytime…

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Will Tahoe’s Most Controversial Bear Be Killed? Tense Standoff Raises Stakes

A long-simmering conflict over Bear #753—nicknamed Hope—erupted again on Thursday, August 21, when the animal and her cub wandered into…

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Mountain Lions Viciously Kill 15 Alpacas on Northern California Farm

A Lake County alpaca farm was devastated last week after a series of mountain lion attacks left 15 animals dead…

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Woman Finds Unique Hawk in the Sierra Foothills. It Turned Out to be a Escapee of the Fresno Zoo.

After more than a year on the run, Ripley the Harris Hawk is finally back home at the Fresno Chaffee…

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Wolf Comeback in Trouble? Only 3 Packs Had Pups in California This Year

California’s wolf population saw limited reproduction this year, with just three of the state’s 10 known packs producing pups, according…

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Chinook Salmon Spotted Spawning in McCloud River for First Time in a Century

In a major win for salmon recovery in California, adult winter-run Chinook salmon have been seen spawning in the McCloud…

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Beloved Peacocks Vanish from Historic Delta Hotel, Sparking Criminal Investigation

A beloved group of peacocks that have roamed the grounds of the historic Ryde Hotel in Walnut Grove for decades…

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1,000 Grizzly Bears in California? New Proposal Stirs Big Debate

A new proposal to reintroduce more than 1,000 grizzly bears into California’s wilderness is raising serious concerns from local officials,…

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Notorious Lake Tahoe Bear Euthanized After Years of Break-Ins and Conflict

After years of breaking into homes, damaging cars, and charging at campers, a notorious black bear in the Lake Tahoe…

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Mountain Lion Sightings Raise Caution on Redding’s Sacramento River Trail

The City of Redding is urging caution after recent reports of mountain lion sightings along the popular Sacramento River Trail.…

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Watch: PCT Hiker Charges at Bear in Yosemite to Scare It Off

A Pacific Crest Trail hiker had a close call with a bear at Tuolumne Meadows Campground in Yosemite—and his bold…

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Wandering Sea Lion Rescued from Petaluma Parking Lot

A young sea lion that made headlines after wandering far inland into Petaluma has been safely rescued and is now…

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With Fewer Rangers, Squirrels Take Over Yosemite Trails

With ranger staffing dwindling in Yosemite National Park, a new force has emerged to claim the trails and picnic tables—squirrels.…

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Yosemite’s Latest Viral Star: A Coyote, a Deer, and a Very Strange Chase

A visitor to Yosemite National Park captured a wild moment that’s sparking debate across the internet — was it playful…

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Watch: Massive Bear Casually Jogging Through Tahoe Neighborhood Delights the Internet

A new video out of Lake Tahoe is making the rounds online—and this time, it’s not about pristine beaches or…

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California Surpasses 50 Confirmed Wolves, 10 Wolf Packs in Annual Report

After being wiped out a century ago, gray wolves have made a remarkable return to California, and the California Department…

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One of the World’s Rarest Foxes Caught on Camera in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Photo via Randy Robbins Photography A Northern California wildlife photographer has captured rare footage of one of the world’s most…

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Aggressive Bear Euthanized After Attacking Camper Near Lake Tahoe

A black bear with a long history of confrontations with people was euthanized this week after attacking a camper near…

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Confirmed Wolf Attacks on Livestock Surge Across Northern California

Wolves are making headlines again in Northern California, as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) confirmed a new…

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Mountain Lion Attacks Summer Camp Employee in Northern California

A summer camp employee in Trinity County was attacked by a mountain lion on June 14, according to a joint…

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Round-the-Clock Wolf Patrols Begin in Northern California Ranching Communities

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has launched a new summer “strike team” to help protect livestock from…

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18th Gray Whale Death in Bay Area Raises Alarm for Marine Life

A gray whale found deceased at Lands End in San Francisco this weekend has become the 18th recorded fatality in…

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Three New Gray Wolf Packs Confirmed in Northern California

CDFW wolf collaring January 2025 photo by Malia Byrtus/California Wolf Project California’s gray wolf population is on the rise, with the California Department of…

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Wildlife Experts Criticize UC Davis Over Misleading Article on Wolf Impacts

A group of leading wildlife scientists and wolf biologists is calling on UC Davis to correct what they say is…

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Shasta County Declares Emergency Over Rising Wolf Encounters

Shasta County has declared a local state of emergency following a spike in gray wolf sightings and livestock attacks in…

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Native Turtles Return to Yosemite Ponds Following Bullfrog Removal

A northwestern pond turtle hatchling at a study site in Yosemite. (Sidney Woodruff/UC Davis) Invasive bullfrogs have long plagued Yosemite’s…

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Chinook Salmon Fishing Returns to Three Northern California Rivers After Two-Year Ban

Due to continued low Chinook salmon counts, the California Fish and Game Commission has voted to keep the Klamath River…

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Sheriffs Rally in Sacramento Against Proposed Coyote Hunting Limits

Several Northern California sheriffs gathered in Sacramento to oppose possible changes to the state’s coyote hunting laws during a recent…

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California Launches New Wolf Tracking Map to Prevent Livestock Conflicts

CDFW wolf collaring January 2025 photo by Malia Byrtus/California Wolf Project. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has…

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Wildlife Officials Revamp Salmon Release Plan to Boost Sacramento River Runs

In a historic move to boost declining salmon populations, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has released approximately…

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Grizzly Bears Once Ruled California. Now Some Say It’s Time to Bring Them Back.

California once teemed with grizzly bears, as many as 10,000 roaming freely until the mid-1920s. Today, nearly a century after…

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Humboldt County’s Mad River Fish Hatchery to Close This Summer

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced it will cease operations at the Mad River Fish Hatchery…

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Another Northern California Sheriff Urges Lawmakers to Rethink Wolf Protections

Another Northern California sheriff is calling on lawmakers to reexamine gray wolf protections as attacks on livestock—and now residential areas—continue…

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This Animal is the Cause of Most Wildlife-Related Injuries in Yosemite and It’s Not What You Think

Yosemite National Park has issued an important wildlife advisory that might surprise visitors: deer—not bears—are responsible for the most wildlife-related…

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WATCH: Drunk Hotel Guest Nearly Bumps Into Bear in South Lake Tahoe

There you have it folks – this is what you get when you mix casinos and 24-hour bars with the…

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One Wolf Can Cost a California Rancher $162,000 Annually, According to New Study

A game camera captured this gray wolf from the Lassen pack among a herd of cattle in July of(Ken Tate…

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Siskiyou Sheriff Sounds Alarm on Growing Gray Wolf Threat to Residents and Livestock

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office and Board of Supervisors are urging California lawmakers and wildlife officials to enhance measures protecting…

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‘This is a Critical Moment’: California Recreational Salmon Fishing Returns in 2025 with Strict Limits

California’s recreational ocean salmon fisheries will see limited reopening in 2025, marking the first opportunity for recreational salmon fishing in…

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Beavers Are Back: How California’s Wetland Engineers Are Restoring the Sierra

Beavers are making a big comeback in California, and they’re bringing ecosystems back with them. The California Department of Fish…

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Hungry Bears Are Waking Up in Tahoe—Help Keep Them Wild and Safe

As winter melts away in the Lake Tahoe region, bears are emerging from hibernation and on the hunt for food.…

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OPINION: California Salmon Don’t Need a Celebration

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently released a press release celebrating the progress made in their “California…

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California Officials Looking to Ease Wolf Protections Amid Population Surge

For the first time in nearly a century, gray wolves are making a strong comeback in California—so much so that…

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Wildlife Officials Stock Lake Oroville with 24,000 Eagle Lake Rainbow Trout

On March 21, 2025, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) stocked Lake Oroville with 24,000 Eagle Lake Rainbow…

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California Highlights Major Progress Restoring Salmon Habitats and Removing Dams

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released a new progress report detailing significant advances made under the “California…

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California’s Growing Wolf Packs Are Killing Cattle—And Modoc County Ranchers are Fighting Back

As California’s gray wolf population continues to grow, conflicts between wolves and livestock are growing, prompting Modoc County to consider…

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These Invasive Creatures Are Wreaking Havoc in California—And Officials Want You to Eat Them

They look like a mix between an otter and a gopher, but conservation officials say the best way to handle…

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Viral Video Captures Bobcat Hunt in Yosemite—With Oblivious Tourists Glued to Their Phones

A remarkable video of a bobcat hunting in Yosemite National Park has gone viral, but not just for the impressive…

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Activists Oppose Bill That Would Bring Back Bear Hunting with Hounds

A new bill proposing the return of hound hunting for black bears in California is sparking controversy among wildlife activists.…

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Major Poaching Investigation Leads to 3 Guilty Pleas in Northern California

A casual conversation on a flight led California wildlife officers to uncover a major poaching operation involving the illegal possession…

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Rare ‘Superpod’ of Over 2,000 Dolphins Spotted Off California Coast

More than 2,000 dolphins recently formed a rare “superpod” off the coast of Monterey Bay, an awe-inspiring sight that left…

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California’s 2024 Fall Chinook Salmon Returns Only 55% of Fishery Management Objective

The latest salmon report from the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) paints a bleak picture for California’s fall-run Chinook salmon.…

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New Bill Aims to Manage California’s Surging Black Bear Population

California’s black bear population has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching an estimated 60,000 to 80,000, according to…

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Salmon Return to North Yuba River for the First Time in Nearly a Century

For the first time in nearly 100 years, Chinook salmon are swimming in the North Yuba River thanks to a…

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Turtle Bay to Release Chinook Salmon into Sacramento River for Conservation Effort

Turtle Bay Exploration Park is set to release Chinook Salmon into the Sacramento River on Friday, February 21, 2025, at…

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Wildlife Officials Capture and Collar 12 Gray Wolves in Northern California

Photos by Malia Byrtus, California Wolf Project The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has successfully captured, collared, and…

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Rare Mammal Photographed for the First Time in California

Photo via Vishal Subramanyan, Prakrit Jain, Harper Forbes For the first time, researchers have captured photos of the elusive Mount…

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Goose Rescued by Rangers at 10,000 Feet on Mount Shasta

Two rangers on patrol made an unusual discovery high on Mount Shasta—a goose at an altitude of about 10,000 feet.…

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Federal Government Rejects Petitions to Reduce Wolf Protections in Northern California and Beyond

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has denied two petitions aimed at reducing federal protections for gray wolves, including those…

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Elephant Seals Return to Point Reyes for Winter Breeding Season

The annual return of elephant seals to Point Reyes National Seashore has begun, with the massive marine mammals reclaiming Drake’s…

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More Than 6,000 Salmon Return to Spawning Grounds on Klamath River Following Dam Removal

Photo via Michael Wier/CalTrout Since the launch of the Klamath River Science and Monitoring Program in July 2024, exciting progress…

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Lawsuit Filed to Protect Endangered Sierra Nevada Red Fox Habitat

The Center for Biological Diversity has filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for failing…

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Tahoe Residents Urged to Stay Bear Aware This Winter as Bears Remain Active

The Tahoe Interagency Bear Team (TIBT) is reminding residents and visitors that not all bears in the Lake Tahoe Basin…

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WATCH: Bear Collides with Snowboarder at Tahoe’s Heavenly Resort

Bears at Heavenly Resort, located in California and Nevada, are not an unusual sight. However, a rare and dramatic incident…

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Controversial Fence Removal Will Allow Point Reyes Tule Elk to Roam Free for the First Time in Nearly 50 Years

The National Park Service (NPS) announced plans to remove a controversial two-mile fence that has confined native tule elk to…

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Record-Breaking Chinook Salmon Run on Mokelumne River Marks Largest in History

Photo via Eli Zaturanski/EBMUD  The 2024-25 fall run of Chinook salmon on the Mokelumne River has set a new record,…

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Northern California Biologists are Hunting Barred Owls to Save Spotted Owls

Deep within Northern California’s dense forests, a small group of biologists is undertaking a controversial effort to save the northern…

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Coho Salmon Return to Upper Klamath River Basin for the First Time in Over 60 Years

In a historic milestone following the removal of the Klamath River dams, coho salmon have returned to their historic spawning…

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Brand-New ‘Diamond’ Wolf Pack Discovered North of Lake Tahoe

A newly identified pack of gray wolves, named the Diamond Pack, has been discovered in California’s Sierra Valley, roughly 50…

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Gray Wolves Found in Lassen Volcanic National Park for the First Time

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has reported the presence of a new gray wolf pack within Lassen…

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Wildlife Officials Seek Public Input on Protecting the Western Burrowing Owl

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is inviting public comments and data submissions regarding a petition to protect…

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Tahoe Residents Urged to Follow BearWise Tips as Black Bears Enter “Hyperphagia” Feeding Frenzy

With winter just around the corner, black bears in the Tahoe Basin are entering hyperphagia, a feeding frenzy to build…

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CDFW Conducts Helicopter Surveys to Monitor Elk Populations in Northeastern California

This November, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will perform helicopter surveys across Modoc, Siskiyou, Lassen, and Shasta…

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Chinook Salmon Spawning in Upper Klamath River for the First Time in 60 Years

Photo of Chinook salmon by Katie Falkenberg, Swiftwater Films For the first time since 1961, fall-run Chinook salmon are returning…

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Wolf Sightings Near Lake Tahoe Bring Speculation on California’s Newest Wolf Pack

Wolves, once thought extinct in California, are making a comeback, with seven confirmed packs in the state. Now, there are…

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Caught-on-Camera: Bear Sings in a Tree in Yosemite National Park

Wildlife encounters can be frequent for any visitor to Yosemite National Park, especially during a pandemic that has forced officials…

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First Salmon in Over a Century Returns to Klamath River After Dam Removal

The Klamath River has welcomed its first salmon in over a century, thanks to the largest dam removal project in…

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NorCal Lake Sees its Worst Botulism Outbreak in History, Killing More Than 75,000 Birds

The Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the Klamath Basin, near the California-Oregon border, is facing its worst botulism outbreak…

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California Wolf Population Nearly Doubles with 30 New Pups in 2024

California’s wolf population continues to grow as five of the state’s seven known wolf packs have produced pups this year,…

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Whaleback Pack Responsible for Recent Spike in Wolf Predations in Northern California

The Whaleback Pack, a well-known group of wolves located in Siskiyou County, has been identified as the primary culprit behind…

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Grizzly Bears Once Ruled California. Here’s Why They No Longer Roam the State.

Photo by Zdenk Macháek Why does the California State Flag feature an extinct animal, the California grizzly bear, a beast so…

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California Unveils New Plan for Restoring Salmon and Steelhead in a Free-Flowing Klamath River

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has released a comprehensive 60-page plan to guide the reintroduction and monitoring…

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Teen Captures Heart-Stopping Encounter with Mammoth Lakes Bear in Viral Video

A California teenager found herself face-to-face with the bear in Mammoth Lakes, which unexpectedly approached her and placed its paw…

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Hundreds of Sea Lions Take Over Monterey Beach, Forcing Temporary Closure

San Carlos Beach in Monterey has been temporarily closed to the public due to a significant influx of sea lions…

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SOURCE: Beloved Bear Euthanized After Viral Video Shows Close Encounter with Campers

According to a source, a beloved bear in the Mammoth Lakes area has been euthanized following a run-in with campers…

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Rare Videos Show the Lassen Pack in Action in Northern California

California’s only known wolf pack, the Lassen Pack, more than doubled in size in 2020 with a brand-new litter of…

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Man Fends Off Bear with a Shovel on Lake Tahoe Beach

An afternoon at South Lake Tahoe’s Pope Beach took a wild turn when a black bear wandered onto the shore…

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