Santa Catalina Island, Calif. – California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) is investigating a potential oil spill from a sinking 62-foot fishing vessel that occurred at the back side of Santa Catalina Island this morning. OSPR personnel are enroute. The team will assess the status of the vessel […]
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Posted inCalifornia
New Gray Wolf Pack Confirmed in Tulare County
California has a new gray wolf pack in Tulare County, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced today. This is the Golden State’s southernmost pack and it is at least 200 air miles from the nearest known pack in northeastern California. In July, CDFW received a wolf sighting report from a location in […]
Posted inRegional
CDFW Captures South Lake Tahoe Conflict Bear and Her Three Cubs
August 4, 2023 – Wildlife biologists for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) this morning safely immobilized a large female conflict bear responsible for at least 21 DNA-confirmed home break-ins and extensive property damage in the South Lake Tahoe area since 2022. Her three cubs were also captured in the effort. Pending a successful […]
Posted inCalifornia
Final necropsy results released for mountain lion P-22
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and National Park Service (NPS) reviewed the final postmortem examination and lab tests from P-22, the beloved mountain lion from Griffith Park. The results confirmed P-22 had been suffering from multiple severe injuries and chronic conditions that impaired his ability to function in the wild and would […]
Posted inCalifornia
New CDFW Policy Recognizes Ecological Value of Beavers in California
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has implemented a new policy recognizing the ecological benefits of beavers while mitigating conflict over damage to land and property (depredation). CDFW’s new policy builds upon its existing beaver management policies and lays the groundwork for projects that harness beavers’ natural ability to help protect biodiversity, restore […]
Posted inCalifornia
Rare Sighting of Wolverine Confirmed in Multiple California Counties
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has confirmed that multiple sightings of what is believed to be the same wolverine occurred in May in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. Two sightings were in the Inyo National Forest in Inyo and Mono counties. A third sighting occurred in Yosemite National Park in Tuolumne County. […]
Posted inRegional
Wildlife Conservation Board funds SYRCL and Yuba Water Agency project
At its May 25, 2023, quarterly meeting, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved approximately $83.15 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California and, in some cases, provide new and improved public access, recreational and educational opportunities. One of the projects funded is Upper Rose Bar Restoration Construction, a […]
Posted inCalifornia
Recreational Ocean, In-River Salmon Fisheries in California to Close for Remainder of 2023
The California Fish and Game Commission acted unanimously to enact a full closure of California’s recreational salmon fishing season in the Klamath River Basin and Central Valley rivers through its annual process for adjusting seasons and bag limits on Tuesday, May 17, 2023. In a separate emergency action, the Commission voted to close recreational salmon […]
Posted inRegional
Agreement reopens Yuba River to salmon and sturgeon
A framework agreement between state, federal and local agencies will reopen miles of habitat to multiple native fish species and promote the return of imperiled spring-run Chinook salmon to their native habitat in the North Yuba River for the first time in more than 100 years, in one of the most ambitious watershed recovery efforts […]
Posted inCalifornia
CDFW Provides Nearly $36 Million for Projects to Save Salmon and Other California Fish and Wildlife Species
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) today announced nearly $36 million in projects to benefit salmon and their habitats, and to further support climate resiliency, wildlife corridors and wetlands restoration. Saving salmon and rebuilding their populations for future Californians involves many key actions including investing in and restoring salmon strongholds as climate refugia, […]
Posted inCalifornia
CDFW Captures and Collars Two Gray Wolves in Siskiyou County
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced the safe and successful capture and collar of two gray wolves in Siskiyou County. The two wolves were captured March 17, fitted with satellite collars, measured and sampled for DNA and disease surveillance, and safely released back to the wild. “The capture of these wolves […]
Posted inCalifornia
CDFW Launches Immediate Efforts To Save Clear Lake Hitch
March 23, 2023 – Prompted by urgent calls for action from Tribal leaders and community members, a coalition of Tribal, local, state and federal entities is taking immediate steps to support the long-term survival of the Clear Lake hitch. A large minnow found only in northern California’s Clear Lake and its tributaries, the hitch, known […]
Posted inCalifornia
California Prioritizes Key Locations To Improve Wildlife Connectivity
March 15, 2023 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has released an updated report identifying the most important areas to advance wildlife connectivity projects. The report, “Restoring California’s Wildlife Connectivity 2022 (PDF)(opens in new tab),” prioritizes which roadways, railways and other human-created infrastructure are the greatest barriers to wildlife movement addressing where […]
Posted inCalifornia
Fifteen Agencies Form a Collaborative to Support Monarch and Pollinator Conservation Efforts in California
State and federal agencies in California are joining forces to address the decline of monarch butterflies and other pollinator species in the state. The Multi-Agency Monarch and Pollinator Collaborative aims to facilitate long-term conservation of the western population of the migratory monarch butterfly and its habitats, as well as other pollinator species in the state. “Monarchs and other pollinators are critical to […]
Posted inRegional
Avian Parasite Responsible For Band-Tailed Pigeon Deaths
February 23, 2023 – Since early February, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and many wildlife rehabilitation centers have received increased reports of sick and dead band-tailed pigeons from residents. Most reports have come from locations along California’s Central Coast, the San Francisco Bay Area and foothill communities in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. […]
Posted inRegional
Avian Influenza Detected in Deceased Bobcat in Butte County
Wildlife disease specialists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recently received confirmation that an adult bobcat died from the Eurasian strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1. This is the first detection of the virus in a wild mammal in the state. The bobcat’s remains were collected in Butte County by […]
Posted inRegional
Sierra Nevada Red Fox Detected in the Southern Sierra Nevada
The Sierra Nevada red fox (SNRF) which historically inhabited the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades in California and Oregon, has been detected near Taboose Pass, on the eastern boundary of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park – a first for that region since the 1930s. The state and federally endangered Sierra Nevada […]
Posted inCalifornia
Mountain Lion P-22 Compassionately Euthanized Following Complete Health Evaluation Results
After receiving a comprehensive medical evaluation, CDFW has received a clear picture of the mountain lion P-22’s medical condition and overall health. He had several severe injuries and chronic health problems. Based on these factors, compassionate euthanasia under general anesthesia was unanimously recommended by the medical team at San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and CDFW […]
Posted inCalifornia
Feather River Fish Hatchery to increase production of Fall-Run Chinook Salmon to combat impacts of drought, Thiamine deficiency
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) have announced that the Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville will increase its production of fall-run Chinook salmon in 2023 to approximately 9.5 million fish to combat the impacts of drought and a thiamine deficiency affecting natural spawning and […]
Posted inCalifornia
CDFW Director Statement on FERC Release of EIS on Klamath Dam Removal
California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham issued the following statement on the release today by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposed decommissioning of four dams on the Klamath River: “We applaud the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff for issuing the final […]