A family of foxes has made Facebook’s Menlo Park Headquarters their home (photo by Richard Zadorozny)

Perhaps sensing the “friendly” nature of Facebook’s business, a family of foxes chose to raise their young in the Zen garden on the campus, and as a result added approximately 2,500 proud, adoptive parents to their skulk (yes, that really is the proper term for a group of foxes). The new family members? The entire staff at Facebook.

Following the antics of the adorable parents and their three pups on the FB Fox page provides a daily dose of cuteness, but even more heartwarming for me is observing how the employees have become caretakers to these animals. Wildlife in urban areas—and especially in the middle of a busy company office park—are often treated as pests and removed or killed. Instead, Facebook embraced having these wild creatures trotting along Hacker Road and lounging outside office windows.

One of the facebook foxes strolls by the Sweet Shop on the campus (photo by Burhan Syed)

Relaxing after a hard day’s work of posing for photos. (photo by Jeff Ferland)

Alexis Smith, a Facebook marketing team member who started the FB Fox page, also felt inspired by the staff rallying around the foxes:

“I loved how the foxes brought everyone together—that people cared that the animals made their home on our campus and that they merited respect from everyone.”

As is evident from the motto of the FB Fox page itself, “Please honor the MPK Fox—no chasing or feeding—just mutual respect.” Staff posted signs in the Zen garden asking people to keep their distance. An employee recently shared a photo of one of the foxes resting under his automobile, and warned, “Before you drive off, please check if there is a fox under or near your car.” Not the usual job duties that accompany working for a high tech firm, but these employees have embraced it.

Watch a video of the irresistibly cute pups playing made by Facebook employee, John Mendiola, a security systems engineer.

Reports of foxes at the campus had been circulating for about a year, but Jacqueline Rooney, who works in corporate communications, initially thought the sightings were the stuff of urban legends. “I didn’t believe we actually had foxes here until this family arrived and set up home in our garden—sightings then became pretty commonplace.”

The first sighting of the mother fox occurred right outside Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s office window—these foxes certainly know the right people to “friend.” Zuckerberg took a personal interest in the foxes, and his liking the FB Fox page resulted in thousands of followers being added in just hours. To date, over 17,000 people from all over the world tune in to see the latest adventures of the fox family—some from as far away as Pakistan and Afghanistan—and Alexis avidly shares the latest photo encounters and observations from the employees. For Alexis, her favorite fox moment came when she first viewed the pups, and the pictures demonstrate how easily it is to become smitten with these three “foxeteers” from observing them wrestle in the garden, chase each other’s tails, or nurse from mom on a public walkway.

One of the adorable three “foxeteers” born and raised on the Facebook campus (Photo by Renee Glenn)

One of the Facebook foxes sticking his tongue out for the camera (Randall Finley/wildlifist.com)

But perhaps the most endearing action shots involve what makes the animal distinct from its relatives. Although the gray fox is the most widely distributed fox in California, it possesses one unusual trait, as Tamara Eder, author of Mammals of California describes. “Truly a crafty fox, the Common Gray Fox is known to elude predators by taking the most unexpected of turns—running up a tree.”  The FB foxes dart up trees and climb up on the awnings above walkways, napping contentedly above people as they pass underneath.

Gray foxes can climb trees and the Facebook foxes often climbed to the top of the walkway awnings to take a nap. (Photo by Joel Seligstein).

Much to the dismay of the FB Fox fans, Alexis recently announced that the foxes had moved from their den under the deck and dispersed, a post that met with much protest from employees and followers, who implored the young foxes to return. “Come back! there are plenty of great local colleges. I am not ready for you to be away from home,” read one.

Although the foxes have vacated their den now that the pups have grown, they have not left the campus entirely and regular sightings continue. Followers can take comfort in knowing that they will probably reuse the den for breeding next year, as researcher Bill Leikam points out. “Once the pups are gone from the area in which they were born, that particular territory is then available for the adults to return to their traditional den and have their new litter raised in familiar territory.”

When they return to raise a new family, the foxes will be pleased to note their choice of a home is now Ranger Rick approved! When I visited the campus last week, I presented Facebook with the National Wildlife Federation’s official Certified Wildlife Habitat® designation—they had certainly earned it by being fox-friendly. Alexis Smith, who grew up reading Ranger Rick magazine and inherited a love of the natural world from her parents, appreciated receiving the certification. “I was always extremely excited whenever a new Ranger Rick arrived in the mailbox.”

NWF’s California Director, Beth Pratt (and Ranger Rick) presenting the Certified Wildlife Habitat sign to Facebook’s Alexis Smith in the Zen garden where the foxes raised their young (photo by Jacqueline Rooney/Facebook)

The new sign is already on display in the Community Garden, a favorite hangout for the foxes. Our thanks to Facebook and their employees for lending wildlife a helping hand!

Want to make a difference for wildlife in your yard, schoolyard, church, business, neighborhood, or community? Check out the NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat® program website or Facebook page.

Follow NWF California on Facebook for more great wildlife stories and photos from across the Golden State!

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As part of the research for her upcoming book, “When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors: Wildlife in Today’s California,” NWF’s California Director, Beth Pratt, is visiting the critter-friendly backyards, schoolyards, businesses and communities of dedicated Californians across the state to celebrate how they are personally making a difference for wildlife. Learn more about the project on the NWF California website or if you have a good wildlife story to share email her at prattb@nwf.org

SCPD preparing ATVs to try to force mountain lion out of downtown Santa Cruz aqueduct. #scsnews pic.twitter.com/ZgJdaWSdcD

— Jason Hoppin (@scnewsdude) May 16, 2013

I immediately retweeted and started following the story, both with a sense of amazement over a wild cat in Surf City, and a sense of dread as urban encounters with mountain lions don’t usually have a happy ending.

The story caught fire with social media, perhaps not at the Game of Thrones-Red Wedding level of intensity, but across the country people started taking an interest in the fate of this Puma concolor who found himself trapped in an aqueduct in the middle of Santa Cruz. People all over the globe expressed sympathy for the lion and rooted for him to survive.

The Santa Cruz mountain lion hides behind some brush as officials decide how to return him to the wild (Photo Courtesy Shmuel Thaler/ Santa Cruz Sentinel)

The rescue of the visiting lion did take a village, and in Santa Cruz the stars seemed aligned for cooperation between the Santa Cruz Police Department and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well as wildlife nonprofits like UCSC’s Puma Project and Wildlife Emergency Services, all who contributed immensely to a commendable show of teamwork that resulted in the lion, now known as #39M, roaming wild and free again.

#39M waking up after his rescue and wandering back into the wild (Photo Courtesy California Fish & Wildlife)

Santa Cruz Police Chief Kevin Vogel told me in an interview that the “mission of the day was to ensure the safety of the lion—as well as balancing this with the safety of people.” From the first report of the sighting, his officers were committed to a non-lethal solution for the animal. “One of the values of our community here is compassion and it spills over into the Police Department. This shows how we do business.”

One of the first reporters on the scene, Jason Hoppin from the Santa Cruz Sentinel (aka @scnewsdude), also commented on the attitude of law enforcement.  “I think the police are also to be commended for quickly removing killing the lion from the list of likely outcomes. That would have been the easy way out, though I’m sure it would have caused a pretty big outcry among residents as well.”

To paraphrase Jaws, I think we're gonna need a bigger box. #downtownlion #scsnews pic.twitter.com/14ewxZProz

— Jason Hoppin (@scnewsdude) May 16, 2013

Team Effort: Santa Cruz Police, Puma Project, Wildlife Emergency Services and California Fish & Wildlife staff help load the drugged lion. Photo Courtesy Chief Kevin Vogel

“The recent mountain lion incident in downtown Santa Cruz was a timely opportunity for emerging public safety protocols to be tested and evaluated.  Overall the outcome was a success, however there are many details yet to consider and refine when we entertain the prospect of capturing and moving mountain lions, as every situation differs, and it is becoming more and more difficult for mountain lions to navigate around our communities and roadways. New DFW guidelines will be furthered by the passage of SB 132, which will authorize the DFW to partner with NGOs that can bring needed expertise, equipment and personnel to assist in public safety events,” said Zara McDonald, Felidae’s Executive Director

Public safety is an issue when dealing with encounters with mountain lions. Yet the automatic fear—and the killing of cats that simply appear on the urban landscape—is usually due to a lack of education, not maliciousness. If you’re not a carnivore biologist and accustomed to mountain lion behavior, then a hissing, snarling, 130 pound cat can easily lead to a state of panic.

Paul Houghtaling of the UC Santa Cruz Puma Project holds the lion’s head upright while waiting to transport it for a medical examination (Photo Courtesy Dan Coyro/ Santa Cruz Sentinel)

Both public officials and non-profit groups believe that education holds the key to more success stories like the one in Santa Cruz, especially since not many incidents are going to possess the advantages this one did—the animal contained in an aqueduct, a wildlife-friendly police department, and a mountain lion research project located in the city.

“Every situation is unique, but it’s hard to imagine that everything would come together like this,” said Lt. Joe. Hoppin echoed this view, “If that lion had been trapped in another spot, or in another town that didn’t have local experts nearby, I can’t say that the outcome would have been the same.”

Researchers drew blood samples and fitted the lion with a GPS collar before release. Photo Courtesy Dan Coyro/Santa Cruz Sentinel

As part of research for my book, When Mountain Lions are Neighbors: Wildlife in Today’s California, I’ve been immersed in California cougar lore. I agree that education holds an important part in developing our relationship with the animal. It might surprise some to know that over fifty percent of California—the most populated state in the nation—is mountain lion territory. And as our population grows, encounters will inevitably increase.

Many in Santa Cruz seemed to appreciate this chance encounter with a wild animal and Hoppin reported that, “By and large, the public’s reaction was awe. People rushed to the scene, not away from it. There was no fear. None. But you also have to understand that this mountain lion basically jumped into a giant zoo exhibit. The aqueduct walls are about 18 feet high, topped by several more feet of chain-link fence, which is topped by barbed wire.  Once you secure either end of the aqueduct, he wasn’t going anywhere.”

In fact if anyone was frightened, it seemed to be the lion according to those on the scene. Hoppin sympathized with the animal, “He just looked like he wanted to back out of whatever situation he’d gotten himself into.” Chief Vogel agreed, “The cat looked scared to death.”

The lion after receiving one tranquilizer dart. Photo Courtesy Dan Coyro/Santa Cruz Sentinel

More awareness and education, and positive stories like the Santa Cruz rescue may help people become more comfortable with the reality of living among mountain lions. This is Lt. Joe’s wish. “I hope this helps people understand and appreciate our wild heritage in California. With more people in the state, this means more sightings and hopefully most of them will be great sightings that inspire admiration.”

A happy ending! Thank u @SantaCruzPolice @santacruzpumas @CaliforniaDFW‎ & WildRescue for safely rescuing the mountain lion in Santa Cruz!

— Beth Pratt (@bethpratt) May 16, 2013

At the end of the day, I was relieved to be able to share with my followers the news of the happy ending. After tranquilizing the cat, the team examined the healthy 18 months-old male, fitted him with a GPS collar, transported him to an undisclosed location, and then released him back into the wild. For many involved in this rescue—as well as those watching from afar—this provided a rare and cherished encounter with wildness.

“I’ve been with the city twenty-six and half years,” said Chief Vogel,  “and this will definitely be one of the highlights of my career—the day the mountain lion came to Santa Cruz.”

The tranquilized lion being examined before release (photo by Chief Kevin Vogel)

Beth Pratt is NWF’s California Director and is writing about wildlife across the state of California for her upcoming book, “When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors: Wildlife in Today’s California.”  Do you have a Golden State wildlife story? Email her at prattb@nwf.org

A male house sparrow is on Craig’s List of backyard wildlife (photo by Craig Newmark)

Yet in between his eclectic posts like a link to an article titled, “Is This Virtual Worm the First Sign of the Singularity?,” his dedicated advocacy for veterans rights, and even answering customer questions for Craigslist (his official title reads Customer Service Representative & Founder), I started noticing a curious pattern.

Squirrels.

Squirrels gathering at a birdbath or raiding a birdfeeder. Or the Mission Impossible-esque squirrel surveillance and reconnaissance video series, where Craig applies his high-tech skills to catch some undeniably cute home intruders red-handed. And his interest in squirrels is not cursory—last year he even announced his intent to create “A New Era of Squirrel Based Activism,” and initiated a #Squirrels4Good fundraising campaign for the National Wildlife Federation.

We’re both self-described nerds (I post YouTube videos of backyard frogs while Craig is, well, Craig), so Mr. Newmark’s nerd stock rose even higher in my estimation when I began noticing his Scuiridae postings. Yes, I connected with a pioneer of the internet not over our common passion for open source systems or strategic web platforms but rather our shared adoration of these bushy tailed, backyard acrobats.

Why the affection for squirrels? As Craig told me in a recent interview:

“Squirrels are survivors; they impressively adapt to the urban environment. My favorite encounters are caught on webcam, where I can see one very smart squirrel coming in to check things out. No interior video, but, well, after seeing the video, I see something to the right of my keyboard, and let’s say, well, that’s not a raisin.”

And it’s not just squirrels that might wander into Craig’s home and leave some mementos. Craig also regularly shares his photos capturing an array of other backyard wildlife. I’ve joked with him that his dwelling in San Francisco might contain more biodiversity than my rural home outside Yosemite. It’s almost a fair fight, he observes, as he does have the benefit of being located near urban greenspace. “I live in the Cole Valley neighborhood of San Francisco, in an odd side street that backs into Sutro Forest. Sutro Forest is an actual forest in the middle of the city, near Golden Gate Park. It’s large enough to have surprises, like a coyote sighting by two different people. It has hiking trails; I’ve been up there twice with the missus.”

Rock doves (photo by Craig Newmark)

Recently married, Craig’s wife Eileen shares his bird and squirrel watching enthusiasm and he gives her full credit on Facebook when she snags a life lister bird or snaps a photo. Craig’s roster of avian sightings in his backyard alone is impressive—42 species and counting as of May 2013—and he documents them in “Eileen and Craig’s Birdography Spectacular” online photo collection. If the technology thing ever fizzles, Craig could easily switch to wildlife photography as a profession.

Given the abundance of critters he sees, what are some of his most memorable encounters? “For me, maybe the first times I saw the most unexpected of birds, particularly hummingbirds, various raptors, and only twice, red-headed conures, a kind of wild parrot. For the missus, the times when a tree rat darted out from behind a plant pot, or maybe more recently when a pair of raccoons tried to break in.”

Anna’s hummingbird in Craig’s backyard (photo by Craig Newmark)

Close-up of an Anna’s hummingbird (Photo by Craig Newmark)

And what animals would he like to add to his wish list of backyard visitors? “I’d like to get a good sighting of the coyote, we could hang out and be pals, though Crosby the next door terrier wouldn’t be so keen about that.”

I’m guessing the squirrels might not like it as well.

A sharp shinned hawk considers his dinner prospects outside Craig’s window (Photo by Craig Newmark)

Want to make a difference for wildlife in your yard, schoolyard, church, business, neighborhood, or community? Check out the NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat® program.

Want some virtual squirrel fun? Check out the new Squirrel vs. Birdfeeder app from NWF.

________________________________________________

As part of the research for her upcoming book, “When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors: Wildlife in Today’s California,” NWF’s California Director, Beth Pratt, is visiting the critter-friendly backyards, schoolyards, businesses and communities of dedicated Californians across the state to celebrate how they are personally making a difference for wildlife. Learn more about the project on the NWF California website.

Peter Coyote’s wildlife-friendly yard welcomes foxes and other animals. (Photo by Peter Coyote)

His wild menagerie (complemented with two personable cats, Jackson and Pearl) attests to his lifelong affinity for nature. “I’ve always been fascinated by animals and have felt a kinship. By the time I was eight years old I realized that everything in the world was alive and connected, and had its own business—and you didn’t interrupt it without consequences.”

A resident of Marin County in Northern California since the 1970’s, Coyote has witnessed some of the negative consequences of our actions on the natural world and considers his efforts for wildlife as simply being a good neighbor. “Habitat for wildlife is continually shrinking—I can at least provide a way station.”

Peter Coyote in the gardens at his northern California home (Photo by Beth Pratt).

Indeed, the natural world and his official dwelling seem indistinguishable, an extension of each other. From the road a series of winding staircases suspended among the redwood trees overlook ferns and other lush foliage in the creek bed below. Inside the home, you feel as if you were in the comforting embrace of a giant tree trunk. Peter describes the intent of the design: “my house and my garden are built as part of nature, not over it.”

The animals have definitely noticed the welcome mat he has extended. The garden is simply the native landscape enhanced and retains the memory of days when Roosevelt elk and grizzly bears freely roamed the area. Native wildlife—albeit smaller than the historical mega-fauna—still flock to his mini-backyard nature reserve. Peter also supplements the native plants with bird feeders. The well stocked stash of sunflower seeds entice the titmice and juncos to visit, while goldfinches feed on his offerings of gourmet thistle. While we ate lunch on his deck, a Nutall’s woodpecker eyed the suet.

A Nutall’s woodpecker eyes the feeder (Photo by Beth Pratt)

A raccoon and skunk parade (Photo by Peter Coyote).

______________________________

As part of the research for her upcoming book, When Mountain Lions Are Neighbors: Wildlife in Today’s California, NWF’s California Director, Beth Pratt, is visiting the wildlife-friendly backyards, schoolyards, businesses and communities of dedicated Californians across the state to celebrate how they are personally making a difference for wildlife.

To celebrate this special frog holiday, I thought I would share my top ten frog photos from my encounters with these remarkable creatures. To learn more about how you can help frogs, read Frogs Need Our Help, So Hop to It! by NWF’s Anne Bolen.

In my backyard frog pond, I enjoy watching all the new tadpoles transform into frogs each year. I love this photo as it shows a tadpole gazing at his big brother and probably thinking, hey, when do I get to do that? (Photo by Beth Pratt)

Pacific chorus frog froglets emerging from my pond. Build a small pond in your backyard–becoming a frog mom each year to hundreds of frogs is wonderful! (Photo by Beth Pratt)

Frog vs. mantid on my porch window ledge. The battle ended in a draw. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

I just named Gaylor Lakes in Yosemite one of the top 7 stunning places to see wildlife for CNN. Why? Aside from the scenery, the annual mating love song of the Yosemite toad fills the alpine basin surrounded by granite peaks with beautiful music. (Photo by Beth Pratt).

Forget the bison and elk ruts in Yellowstone. The annual frog rut is amazing (and deafening). Boreal chorus frogs almost double their body size when they sing. The ponds near Canyon Village provide some good viewing. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

This curious Pacific chorus frog in a pond near Tioga Pass made no move to dart away–he kept swimming toward me as I snapped photos. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

Frogs will sometimes mistake floating vegetation for another frog during the mating season, like this Pacific chorus frog in Yosemite. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

The Columbia spotted frog is one of two frog species in Yellowstone. They hang out near stream banks and I would always observe them on the Old Gardiner Road during my walks. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

Western toads also frequent my backyard and they make their homes in the same place year after year. This animal lives in my well house. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

Pacific chorus frogs are always a delight to discover in the garden. (Photo by Beth Pratt)

When I last reported on our new Return of the Porpoise to San Francisco Bay project, I had just finished running around San Francisco and the Bay Area impersonating a cetacean for our campaign video. I have to admit, dancing underneath the Golden Gate Bridge dressed as a porpoise is certainly a fun experience.

And all of my time in a porpoise costume has paid off. In celebration of Earth Day, The National Wildlife Federation California is making its first donation of $15,000 to Golden Gate Cetacean Research in support of its work to help keep porpoises in San Francisco Bay. It is the first step in a multi-year campaign to raise $500,000 for the animal’s conservation.

Response to the campaign has been amazing, and we’ve had a variety of people make donations large and small. One very dedicated group of school children, Ms. Mindelzun’s 2nd and 3rd grade class at the Wilkinson School, raised over $200 for the San Francisco porpoises and earned a visit from the porpoise mascot for the entire school! Ms Mindelzun taught a unit on the porpoise and I loved seeing all the wonderful artwork by the children on the classroom walls. See the great photos below from my visit to the school.

On Saturday, April 20 I’ll be presenting a check to our partners at Golden Gate Cetacean Research, accompanied by the porpoise mascot, at a special Earth Day Fair hosted by Alcatraz Cruises, another supporter of the campaign. The presentation will be at 2:00 pm, and we’ll have a table at the fair from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Pier 33 , Alcatraz Landing. Come meet the porpoise and join in the other Earth Day fun!

To learn more about the campaign, visit www.sfbayporpoises.org.

Ms Mindelzun’s class at the Wilkinson School raised over $200 for the porpoise campaign.

The porpoise mascot visits the Wilkinson School

Student artwork from the unit taught on the harbor porpoise

Beautiful porpoise artwork from the kids at the Wilkinson School

Since January 2013, more than 1,100 California sea lion pups have beached themselves along the coast. Photo:National Marine Mammal Foundation

Since their listing under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, the California sea lion population has increased to over 200,000 animals and is thought to be within its “optimum population limits.” Yet the animal still faces threats, such as death from harmful algal blooms and human caused injury. Recently another challenge has surfaced for the sea lion that has scientists both puzzled and alarmed: an unprecedented number of strandings.

The strandings have occurred at a rate three times higher than the historic average and prompted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to take the extraordinary step of declaring an Unusual Mortality Event for California Sea Lions since the beginning of the year.

“Unfortunately, we expected NOAA’s announcement and we hope it brings even more attention to this critical situation. Peak stranding season hasn’t even arrived yet and it appears the number of pups that will show up on San Diego’s beaches will go up even more in the next two months,” said NMMF Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Smith

The unprecedented number of sea lion pub stranding has pushed many rescue centers to capacity. Photo: National Marine Mammal Foundation

National Marine Mammal Foundation researcher Dr. Stephanie Venn-Watson is the Chair of the Working Group for Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events. “We’re working quickly to respond to this crisis. The NMMF’s focus is to help save the lives of these malnourished sea lions and at the same time help our colleagues determine what’s causing this alarming increase in stranded pups,” said Dr. Venn-Watson.

What is causing the unprecedented number of strandings?  In a recent briefing, Sarah Wilkin, NOAA Fisheries Southwest Regional Stranding Coordinator, said the origin is still unknown, but the agency is working with a number of hypothesis, including changing environmental conditions that limit prey availability, infectious disease, biotoxins, and pollution. NOAA is assembling a multi-disciplinary investigation team to assess the causes and determine how to address.

California sea lions, once referred to as “dog-mermaids” are a regular fixture on the Golden State’s coastline. Photo: Beth Pratt

And are these sea lion strandings linked to the other unusual marine mammal activity that California has been experiencing over the last couple of years?  Regular readers of my blog know I have been tracking these occurrences, and I was recently interviewed by the Christian Science Monitor on the phenomena. At this point, it’s too early to tell and more research is needed, but Wilkin replied in an interview that “It may be indicating that the ecosystem is changing slightly and the animals are responding to those changes.”

For ongoing updates and more information from NOAA on the sea lion strandings, visit NOAA’s briefing site.

In more cheerful California sea lion news, scientists at the University of California Santa Cruz have trained the sea lion Ronan to bust some moves and dance to the beat of the Backstreet Boys and Earth, Wind and Fire. This is significant because the concept of rhythm was previously thought to be a human trait. Check out the fun video below:

Click here to view the embedded video.

A great gray owl and fledgling in a forest in Yosemite (Photo by Joe Medley)

Why should you give a hoot for Yosemite’s great gray owls? Joe Medley, a UC Davis PhD candidate and researcher affiliated with the USFS has studied the bird for years and even developed a method for using voice recognition software to track the owl that made my Top Ten California Wildlife Moments of 2012. “This is an amazing bird,” said Medley.  “They have a very specialized sensory system and can detect and catch prey under a foot of snow from sound alone.”

A close up of the distinctive great gray owl (Photo by Joe Medley)

Medley works with John Keane of the USFS, and Josh Hull, of UC Davis, to study the health of the 100-200 great gray owls living in and around Yosemite. With blood samples from the research, Hull conducted genetic analysis and authored the paper that suggested the owl be recognized as its own subspecies in 2010. Author and birder David Lucas in his book, Sierra Nevada Birds, noted the decision: “One of the Sierra Nevada’s most majestic birds was awarded special recognition in 2010 when the population centered around Yosemite National Park was documented as a distinct subspecies (“California” Great Gray Owl, S.n. yosemitensis) found nowhere else on earth.”

Early biologists who visited Yosemite also noticed the uniqueness of the bird, including Joseph Grinnell and Tracy Storer in their 1924 book, Animal Life in the Yosemite: “The discovery of the Great Gray Owl in the Yosemite section was one of the notable events in our field experience. And what was most surprising was the fact that the bird was apparently quite at home, and nesting. No previous record of the breeding of this northern species of owl south of Canada is known to us, and its occurrence even as a winter visitant within the northernmost of the United States is not frequent.”

Yosemite’s great gray owl population was recognized as a distinctive subspecies in 2010. (photo by Joe Medley)

But what makes the owls even more important to Medley is a personal connection. “They are that much more special to me because the first one I saw was with my dad.” Medley’s father, an avid birder and leader of a nonprofit in Yosemite for over twenty years, passed away in 2006.  “I am obsessed with raptors in general and for me this is the ultimate raptor. They are the largest of the North American owls. They live in the coolest place in California. They manage to survive winters in Yosemite. They can hear a mouse under snow.  For all these reasons, it gets my vote for most awesome bird.”

Sutro Sam, the first river otter in San Francisco in fifty years (photo by Mila Zinkova)

The patient crowd gathered around Sutro Baths—the ruins of a 19^th century public bathing pool on the Pacific Coast—had been awaiting the appearance of “Sutro Sam,” the first river otter in San Francisco in over fifty years. And he did not disappoint—he glided in the waters and playfully rolled a few times as if posing for the cameras.

Sutro Sam is used to being in the spotlight as visitors from all over California—and the world—have traveled to get a glimpse of this celebrity otter after the Huffington Post and other notable media outlets featured his story.  Why the fascination? Aside from being almost unbearably cute, the return of the river otter after such a long absence also underscores a conservation success story.

Megan Isadore, co-founder of The River Ecology Project, is celebrating his return for just this reason. “River otters are a sentinel species in that they require healthy watersheds to thrive.  The fact that river otters can live all over San Francisco Bay and the Bay Area indicates that we humans have done something right.  It shows that we can make positive changes to our environment, and we surely need all the encouragement we can get in these environmentally tough times.  So let’s celebrate Sam, and celebrate continuing conservation and restoration of the watersheds that support all living beings.”

Watch a video of Sutro Sam:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Our attraction to Sutro Sam might also speak to something more fundamental in us—the everyday awe of seeing wild creatures, especially in unexpected places like an urban environment. Megan agrees:  “Sutro Sam is a perfect example of the joy we gain from making the changes great and small that allow wildlife to return and thrive in areas where we haven’t seen them in a long time.”

And the thrill was no less diminished for me, even thought I travel around California all the time viewing wildlife. I gave a shout of delight each time he surfaced and snapped hundreds of photos. I also met a local woman, Mila Zinkova, who has been following his antics for some time and shared her impressive knowledge—and wonderful photos with me. Like many, she returns frequently to the baths to get another glimpse.

With all his popularity, the rangers at Golden Gate National Recreation Area are asking people to act responsibly and respectfully observe Sam from a distance for both the safety of the otter and their own safety. Keeping Sam a healthy and wild otter while he remains at Sutro Baths is a priority.

With Sutro’s Sam popularity, keeping him wild and safe is a priority (photo by Beth Pratt)

As I stood on the concrete wall of the baths watching Sam, someone shouted, “Dolphins!” I simply had to turn around to view a pod of bottlenose dolphins frolicking in the ocean. Perhaps even they can’t resist catching a glimpse of San Francisco’s rare and endearing river otter.

Sutro Sam catches a meal (Photo by Bill Keener)

This past weekend I ventured to the coast for a whale watching trip in Morro Bay, and while I didn’t view any dolphin mega pods, the marine mammals certainly did not disappoint. We watched two gray whales for almost an hour, were visited for a few fleeting moments by a harbor porpoise, laughed with the numerous barking sea lions, and enjoyed the almost unbearable cuteness of the sea otters. After the boat ride, I ventured up to San Simeon to catch the tail-end of the elephant seal season and saw two magnificent bulls do battle.

A collection of photos from my marine mammal encounters this weekend:

Sea otter and pup relaxing in Morro Bay (photo by Beth Pratt)

Sea otter close-up (Photo by Beth Pratt)

Elephant seals on a San Simeon beach in California (photo by Beth Pratt)

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Thar she blows!” A surfacing gray whale. (photo by Beth Pratt)

Gray whale making its northbound journey (photo by Beth Pratt)