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California Wildlife

All articles tagged with #california wildlife

Bird Flu Kills Dozens of Seal Pups, Closes Seal-Viewing at Año Nuevo
science1 month ago

Bird Flu Kills Dozens of Seal Pups, Closes Seal-Viewing at Año Nuevo

An outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI H5N1 has killed about 30 elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park in California, prompting the temporary closure of seal-viewing areas through the end of March. Researchers from UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz are intensifying monitoring of the park’s roughly 5,000-seal breeding colony to understand transmission and outcomes, with the virus's source and spread still unknown as wildlife agencies coordinate responses.

California's Humboldt Marten: 500 Individuals Left in Fragmented Old-Growth Habitats
science2 months ago

California's Humboldt Marten: 500 Individuals Left in Fragmented Old-Growth Habitats

A three-month study in northern California using 135 remote cameras and 285 hair snares estimates about 500 Humboldt/Coastal martens remain, occupying only about 5% of their historic range with a density of roughly one animal per three square kilometers. Genetic testing found 28 males and 18 females; cameras logged 86 photographs. Martens prefer high-elevation, old-growth forests with dense canopy and abundant coarse woody debris, and the findings will guide conservation as climate-change threats loom.