Animals
Richmond isn’t a widely known birding destination. While some birders know it’s a thrilling place to explore, others are working to draw in people who don’t have much nature in their lives. For some, it’s even become a calling. Zaira Sierra, a birder, grew up in the Iron Triangle. As a child, she emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. and now brings visitors to observe hawks and other raptors in the Marin Headlands. “It’s really become a passion and a…
Sandra Rose hikes frequently in East Bay Regional Parks and is no stranger to rattlesnakes. Last month, she saw three in one week. “We all heard the hiss as the snake went up the hill.” Rose said, referring to a hike in Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in Oakland. Rose says she expects to see snakes in the park. “They won’t bother you if you don’t bother them,” she said. “I’m not scared of them, I think they’re fascinating.” Last month,…
Throwing rocks and shouting loudly are effective ways to be a good neighbor — to overconfident coyotes. While the wild canines and humans have been sharing habitat for a very long time, a spate of incidents involving aggressive coyotes over the past year and a half has prompted a new educational campaign by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in partnership with local agencies in Contra Costa County. The program, called Wildlife Watch, relies on trained volunteers to spread…
Happy Lot Farm and Garden was thriving under Andromeda Brooks. But as shelter-in-place orders swept California, Brooks is struggling to maintain the 14,000-square-foot farm.
Richmond’s “Barktoberfest” last weekend at Point Isabel Regional Shoreline offered the area’s canine population the same chance to celebrate.
Barktoberfest’s October 26 costume parade was accompanied by competitions for categories such as the best small, medium, and large dog costumes. This year, about 50 dogs trod along the waterfront and showed off their attire with their tails wagging cheerfully. Some dressed in rainbow costumes while other dogs and owners wore matching superhero attire.
Emotional support dog “Bear” joined the investigative unit of Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. He’s helping to support victims of trauma and accompany child witnesses in court as they testify.
Welcome back to the Tales of Two Cities podcast! This episode is about being locked up. This week we’ll meet formerly incarcerated people who share their experiences behind bars and also learn about the ways they’re getting their lives back on track after their release. We’ll also look at a different kind of lock up as we hear about animals who are affected by isolation and confinement. We will follow rodent-trapping researchers in an effort to study mammals and also…
Since opening its doors as a no-kill rescue over two decades ago, the Milo Foundation has helped place over 8,000 animals into their forever homes. But after all those years of temporarily housing animals, the non-profit’s kennels are beginning to show some serious wear and tear. On top of that, founder and director Lynne Tingle says the recent rains have only served to exacerbate the problem because their dogs are not getting out as frequently and chewing right through the…
Each year, thousands of monarch butterflies from across the west make their way to the California coast where they spend their winter, including making migratory stops at East Bay parks. For the past two decades, volunteer citizen scientists have been counting them during the Annual Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count, organized by the Xerces Society. Christina Garcia, a naturalist at the East Bay Regional Park District, has been counting butterflies at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont for over 20 years. This…