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The Mojave Desert Tortoise is now listed as endangered in California, but is still listed as �threatened� under the federal Endangered Species Act. (Joanna Gilkeson/USFWS)

Thursday, May 9, 2024

CA lists Mojave Desert Tortoise as endangered

Groups that fight to recover endangered species are praising the California Fish and Game Commission's decision to change the Mojave Desert tortoise f…

A bill called Save Our Sequoias to fund wildfire resilience is tucked into this year's farm bill, currently being negotiated in Congress. (Save the Redwoods League)

Major progress in effort to protect CA giant sequoias from megafires

Crews have been ramping up wildfire resilience projects to thin out brush and dead wood in California's giant sequoia groves, clearing twice as many …

Humpback whales sometimes get tangled up in ropes from discarded crab fishing gear. (Jenn Tackaberry/Kiirsten Flynn/National Marine Fisheries Service)

Partial shutdown of crab fishing season considered to protect whales

A working group convened by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife meets today to consider a partial closure of the commercial Dungeness crab …

Many species, including sea lions, are injured or killed by set gillnets, which target halibut and white sea bass. (Robert Schwemmer/NOAA)

CA bill aims to reduce marine mammal entanglements in set gillnets

A new bill aims to reduce the number of sea lions, sharks, rays, skates and giant sea bass dying off the coast of Southern California in huge set …

An octopus hides out while a squat lobster stands guard beneath a vase sponge at a recently identified reef off Santa Barbara Island. (Oceana)

CA coral reefs protected as new fishing areas reopen

Good news for fishing crews and marine conservationists: Large fishing grounds are reopening, while other areas receive new protections. Some 4,500 …

Around 99% of species listed under the Endangered Species Act since 1973, including the chinook salmon, have been saved from extinction. (Ryan Hagerty/USFWS)

Endangered Species Act turns 50 today

Fifty years ago today, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law - establishing protections that saved species such as the …

An endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle swims off San Francisco, in September 2022. (Geoff Shester/Oceana)

Endangered sea turtle killed by discarded fishing gear in CA

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife just announced a marine warden discovered an endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle dead, drowned …

California sea lions off the coast of Santa Barbara. (Oceana)

Analysis: Crews only report 6% of marine mammals caught in set gillnets

A new analysis by Oceana found crews in the California set gillnet fishery have severely underreported the number of seals and sea lions caught and ki…

A 2022 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assessment found that reintroduction of sea otters is biologically feasible in California, and may have significant benefits for a variety of species in the marine ecosystem. (Lilian Carswell/USFWS)

Feds Seek Public Input on Whether to Help Sea Otters Expand Range

The public can weigh in on the possibility of reintroducing sea otters to stretches of the California and Oregon coasts at a series of open houses thi…

The California Spotted Owl would be the last of three subspecies to receive protection under the Endangered Species Act. (Rick Kuyper/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)<br />

CA Spotted Owl Protections Open for Public Comment

The Biden administration is now taking public comments on a proposal to grant the California Spotted Owl protection under the Endangered Species Act…

An elevated segment of road in the Sierra National Forest provides an underpass for toads to cross from one part of the habitat to the other unharmed. (Stephanie Barnes/U.S. Forest Service)

Experts: Wildlife Crossings Can Help Adapt to Changing Climate

Wildlife crossings save lives, both human and animal, by allowing migrating species to avoid oncoming traffic and move over or under roads and …

Experts say a rise in the number of monarch butterflies is encouraging, but does not reverse decades of decline for the species. (R. Gino Santa Maria/Adobe Stock)

Monarch Butterfly Winter Count Shows Significant Improvement

This winter, volunteers counted more than 335,000 Western monarch butterflies in an annual survey, a big improvement over the last few years…

Los expertos afirman que el aumento del n�mero de mariposas monarca es alentador, pero no revierte d�cadas de declive de la especie. (R. Gino Santa Maria/Adobe Stock)

Conteo invernal de mariposa monarca muestra mejoría significativa

Este invierno, los voluntarios contaron más de 335,000 mariposas monarca occidentales en el estudio anual, lo que supone una gran mejora …

The San Francisco-San Joaquin Delta is the heart of California's water system. (Steve Martarano/USFWS)

Conservation Groups Criticize State Water Board's Side Deals for Delta Water

The State Water Board now says it will take another two years to finalize the San Francisco-San Joaquin Delta water management plan, and it is …

Last April the California Fish and Game Commission rejected a petition from the <a href=

Humane Society to eliminate the state's bear hunt altogether. (California Department of Fish and Wildlife)">

Fight over CA Black Bear Hunt Heats Up This Week

A controversial proposal to let individual hunters kill two bears per season instead of one is on the agenda at a meeting of the California Fish and…

Pile burning in Whitaker Research Forest within Redwood Mountain Grove. (Rob York/UC Berkeley)

Coalition Teams Up to Save Sequoias

California's old-growth sequoia trees are dying at an alarming rate - so land managers across the Sierras are mounting an emergency response…

Warmer, dryer weather conditions have helped create larger wildfires that have killed millions of Joshua trees. (Caleigh Wells)

Advocates Push CA to List Joshua Trees as Endangered Species

By Caleigh Wells for KCRW.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the KCRW-Public News Service Collaboration Th…

UCLA scientists tracking SoCal mountain lions found that 93% have abnormal sperm rates and others have deformed tails and testicular defects, signs of inbreeding. (Christian/Adobe Stock)

Governor Signs Bill to Integrate Wildlife Corridors into Highway Plans

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Friday to require Caltrans to integrate wildlife corridors into its plans as roads are built around the …

Conglomerate Mesa is designated as California Desert National Conservation Land and protected by the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan. (Friends of the Inyo)

Campaign Expands to Protect Conglomerate Mesa

Conservation groups are working to raise awareness of the fight to protect a pristine California desert landscape from development, near Death Valley …

The Quino Checkerspot Butterfly is one of dozens of species listed under the Endangered Species Act that lives in the area to be protected as a wildlife refuge in Western Riverside County. (Andrew Fisher/USFWS Volunteer Biologist/Flickr)

Local Officials Promote Proposed Wildlife Refuge in Riverside County

Local leaders are pressing Congress to create a new wildlife refuge in Riverside County. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. Alex Padilla…

Kelp-restoration efforts to remove purple urchins are under way or are planned for locations near Fort Bragg, Monterey and Big Sur, as well as in Oregon. (Kevin Joe)

Kelp Restoration Makes Progress in Northern California

Small sections of the kelp forests off the Mendocino coast are starting to recover with improved environmental conditions, thanks to a conservation …

The Recovering America's Wildlife Act passed the House of Representatives in June and is awaiting a vote in the Senate.(Jasongeorge/Adobestock)

Advocates Call for Action: Monarch Butterflies on “Red List”

The iconic orange and black migratory monarch butterfly has just made the Red List of Threatened Species, designated by the International Union of …

A California newt attempts to cross the road. (Jose Benedicto de Jesus/Center for Biological Diversity)

State Lawmakers to Consider Wildlife Crossings Bill Today

A bill to prioritize wildlife crossings gets a hearing in the state Senate Transportation Committee today. The Safe Roads and Wildlife Protection …

Caltrans workers inspect a culvert designed to allow wildlife to pass safely underneath the highway. (Caltrans)

CA Groups Angle for Billions in Federal Funds to Build Wildlife Crossings

Billions in federal funding to build or improve wildlife crossings are up for grabs, and California nonprofits, government agencies, and tribes are …

There are more than a dozen species of otters around the world. (David Ledig/Bureau of Land Management)

A Big Week for Otters in California

This week, in honor of World Otter Day, conservation groups are looking to raise awareness about efforts to restore sea otters along more areas of …

A mountain lion dubbed P-65 and her kittens have been traced crossing the 101 Freeway in Southern California, near the site of a new wildlife crossing that broke ground last week. (National Park Service)

Court Upholds Trail-Blazing Ordinance to Protect Wildlife Corridors

Animals such as the mountain lion, gray fox and California red-legged frog may now have a better shot at thriving in Southern California after a …

A bobcat uses a culvert to travel underneath a highway. (National Park Service)

Bill to Build More CA Wildlife Crossings Gets Hearing Tomorrow

Between 2016 and 2020, more than 44,000 Californians reported hitting a wild animal with a vehicle. So tomorrow, state lawmakers will consider a …

The sage grouse is considered a sentinel species, whose health status reflects the state of the entire Western desert ecosystem known as the

Budget Bill Blocks Endangered Species Protection for Sage Grouse

Conservation groups are slamming a spending deal in Congress that's expected to pass this week - because it would forbid Endangered Species Act protec…

A wildlife camera at a culvert underneath U.S. Highway 395 collects data on deer migration. (Pathways for Wildlife)

New Camera Study Tracks Wildlife Migration to Reduce Collisions Along I-395

A new study aims to reduce wildlife collisions in one of the biggest hotspots for them - Highway 395 from Reno, Nevada, through Tahoe up to …

Multiple studies have cited exposure to radiofrequency radiation from cell towers as a factor in the collapse of bee colonies in recent years. (Acrylic Artist/Morguefile)

Research Suggests Cell-Tower Radiation Harms Wildlife

A growing body of scientific studies showed electromagnetic fields from the extremely low frequencies common to power lines and radio-frequency radiat…

A short-finned pilot whale is entangled in a drift gillnet. (NOAA, courtesy of Oceana)

Marine Protections in America COMPETES Act Praised

Marine-conservation groups are celebrating after the U.S. House passed the America COMPETES Act on Friday. The bill primarily boosts semiconductor …

The proposed Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge is key habitat to the federally endangered Quino checkerspot butterfly. (Eric Porter/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Conservation Groups Build Support for Riverside County Wildlife Refuge

HEMET, Calif. -- Public-lands groups are asking Congress to support the proposed Western Riverside County Wildlife Refuge, a 500,000-acre swath …

One way climate change affects the western monarch butterfly is by changing the times that certain flowers bloom, which may not match up with monarchs' migration patterns. (LisaLeo/Morguefile)

Western Monarch Butterflies Rebound from Edge of Extinction

GOLETA, Calif. - The western monarch butterfly appears to be pulling back from the edge of extinction - with more than 100,000 counted so far in the 2…

Environmental advocates say drift gillnet fishing gear is a significant threat to the endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle. (NOAA)

Report: Fishing Crews Greatly Under-report Endangered Bycatch

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- California swordfishing crews failed to self-report any of the sea turtles and more than 98% of the marine mammals they …

This, year the theme of Sea Otter Awareness Week is the species' key role in the mosaic of the ecosystem. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Push for Progress During Sea Otter Awareness Week

MONTEREY BAY, Calif. - This week, conservation groups are celebrating Sea Otter Awareness Week with online and in-person events across the state…

In 2018 an unknown hunter killed and skinned one of the few remaining jaguars in Arizona, a male named Yo'oko. (Center for Biological Diversity)

Groups Look to Expand Jaguar Habitat After Victory Against Proposed Mine

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The battle against copper mining the Santa Rita Mountains outside of Tucson continues - even though the feds just handed a …

A Trump-era rule, still in effect, absolves companies of liability if their activities (such as oil drilling) harm or kill migratory birds. (Remi Jouan)

Conservation Groups Press Congress to Restore Migratory Bird Protections

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Conservation groups are pushing for passage of a bill in Congress that would revive migratory bird protections dropped during …

Gardeners are encouraged to plant bee-friendly flowers that bloom in succession to sustain the insects all season long. (David Bryant/California Native Plant Society)

“Bee” Happy – It’s Pollinator Week!

PISMO BEACH, Calif. -- This week is Pollinator Week, an annual event designed to draw attention to the plight of pollinators like butterflies and …

Animan a jardineros a plantar flores aptas para abejas que florecen en sucesi�n para sustentar a los insectos durante toda la temporada. (David Bryant/California Native Plant Society)

“Bee” Happy – ¡Es la semana de los polinizadores!

PISMO BEACH, Calif. -- Es la Semana de los Polinizadores, un evento anual diseñado para llamar la atención sobre la difícil situaci…

President Bill Clinton used the Antiquities Act in 2012 to designate the Carrizo Plain National Monument. (Bureau of Land Management)

Antiquities Act More Relevant Than Ever on Its 115th Anniversary

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. - Some of California's most dramatic landscapes have been protected under the Antiquities Act, which turns 115 …

Collisions between cars and mountain lions are a particular concern on highways along the mountain ranges of Southern California. (Mia and Steve Metsdagh/Wikimedia Commons)

Wildlife Crossings Bill to Reduce Collisions Heads to U.S. House

AGOURA, Calif. - California drivers collided with animals more than 2,200 times in 2019, and three people lost their lives in those accidents…

Conservation groups have launched a campaign to stop nurseries from selling pollinator-friendly plants such as milkweed that have been grown with harmful pesticides. (Pixabay)

Nurseries, Spring Gardeners Invited to Help Save Bees, Butterflies

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- As the spring gardening season gets into full swing, groups fighting to save bees and other pollinators are asking nurseries …

The Western bumblebee population has crashed since the late 1990s. It now is a candidate for listing under the California Endangered Species Act. (Stephen Ausmus/USDA/ARS)

Citizens Take Action for Endangered Species Day

LOS ANGELES -- Events are planned across the country this week to celebrate the 16th annual Endangered Species Day, May 21. In 2006 The U.S…

La poblaci�n occidental del abejorro se ha derrumbado desde finales de los a�os 90; ahora es candidata para ser incluida en la Ley de Especies en Peligro de California.

Los ciudadanos toman medidas para el Día de las Especies en Peligro de Extinción

Los Angeles, Calif. - Hay eventos planeados en todo el país en esta semana, para celebrar el 16º Día de las Especies en Peligro de …

Sea otters can weigh 45 to 65 pounds, and can be injured or killed by a boat strike. (Wikimedia Commons)

Otters at Risk for Boat Strikes as CA Salmon Season Opens

MONTEREY BAY, Calif. -- Salmon season starts this coming weekend, and it's expected to draw hundreds of fishing boats to the central coast. …

California farmers are starting to use native plants as hedgerows to attract more bees and other beneficial insects. (Michael Serrano)

Farmers Team Up with State, Nonprofits to Protect Pollinators

LE GRAND, Calif. -- In recent years, California farms have seen a massive decline in beneficial insects, especially pollinators like bees, so …

Los agricultores de California est�n comenzando a utilizar plantas nativas como setos para atraer m�s abejas y otros insectos beneficiosos. (Michael Serrano)

Agricultores colaboran con organizaciones estatales y sin fines de lucro para proteger polinizadores

LE GRAND, Calif. - En los últimos años, las granjas de California han experimentado una disminución masiva de insectos beneficiosos…

The South Fork Trinity River is one of many places that would receive greater protections under a new wilderness bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. (Jeff Morris/Pew Environment Group)

Big Wilderness Protection Bill Passes U.S. House, Heads to Senate

SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS, Calif. -- A massive public-lands bill, now headed to the U.S. Senate, would better protect more than three million acres of …

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PNS Daily Newscast - May 10, 2024

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CA: Endangered Species & Wildlife