A Southern California Edison biologist brought a rare patient to California Wildlife Center (CWC) this March – a young native Pocket Mouse. This small mammal can be found in chaparral and grasslands from the San Francisco Bay area to Baja California. Brownish gray in color with white bellies, large ears and hind feet, the mouse has a distinctive fur-tipped tail.
Birds live by their feathers. They need them to keep warm, to stay dry in the rain and most of all, they need them to fly. There’s a rhythm to molts during which old feathers are shed and new ones grow. If a feather breaks or is damaged, the bird is stuck with it until its next molt. When multiple flight feathers are broken, flight may be impossible. For these birds, unable to find food or escape predators in the wild, life is at an end.
Avian influenza is a disease that has been infecting birds for over 150 years. The first documentation of the virus dates to 1878 in northern Italy, where it was described as a contagious disease affecting poultry. Historically avian influenza has had minimal impact on wild birds, but the most recent strain of the virus has had a detrimental effect on wildlife across the Americas. The disease is effectively 100% fatal for birds, and it has already caused the death of over 53 million wild and domestic animals in the United States alone.
Each winter CWC prepares for the imminent arrival of young sea lion pups in need of help. In nature, California Sea Lions are born in June, with over half of the births occurring on June 15th. This is because sea lions have synchronized reproduction, where individual animals breed, birth, and wean on the same schedule. Ideally sea lion pups should stay with their mothers until April and wean when they are ten months old.
Having a yard is a privilege in the city. If you are fortunate enough to enjoy one at your home, it only takes a few minutes to put down your phone, be very still, and enjoy the nature around you. You may see tiny birds hiding in a bush, a squirrel high up in a tree, a soaring hawk or a gliding crow may pass overhead. Just going outside can bring you closer to nature.
As we head into winter and say good-bye to 2022, I’d like to take a moment to thank you for supporting our work. The last two years have been exceptionally difficult for us as well as for many of you. However, 2022 also brought a return to CWC of our valuable volunteers, many of whom were on hiatus during the peak of the pandemic. We have nearly 200 people who give their time to help the animals and donate over 25,000 hours annually.
In mid-August, California Wildlife Center rescued a sea lion (Zalophus californianus) that had been spotted frothing at the mouth and stuporous. After capture and during transport, full seizures developed. Just a few days later, another sea lion was rescued – this one was weaving their neck and head in a serpentine motion, alternating with what’s called “stargazing” where the head points upward and back, blindly directed toward the sky.
There are dozens of home pest control items available for purchase today at various home improvement retailers. From sprays to traps to zappers, humans have developed many creative ways to keep unwanted insects and rodents out of our homes. It is understandable for people to strive to keep the inside of homes free of unwanted creatures.
When walking along the shoreline here in Malibu it is not uncommon to see large Gray Whales feeding in the shallows, charismatic Bottlenose Dolphins playing in the surf, and even a breaching Humpback Whale out in the distance!
White-crowned Sparrows are one of the many migrating bird species we see each year at California Wildlife Center. On average, we admit 10 of the large gray sparrows each year. As adults they are easily identified by the black-and-white stripes on their head and their pale pink or yellow beaks. These birds most often come to our facility after being caught by a cat or striking a window.