Natural History Journal

I was born into a world where wild California Condors were a thing of the past - and little more than a dim hope for the future.   But in the three decades since, California Condors have become the stars of one of the most amazing comeback stories in the history of wildlife conservation, a story filled with controversy, pitting doubt and uncertainty against unwavering hope and perseverance.   Today, thanks to years of painstaking effort on the part of hundreds, if not thousands, of wildlife biologists and conservationists, we can once again look up into Southwestern skies and see condors soaring above on majestic wings.   The story, like the birds themselves, inspires. Male condor 602 hatched at the Los Angeles Zoo in 2011 and was released at Pinnacles in 2013. During the late Pleistocene, California Condors ( Gymnogyps californianus ) were widespread across North America.  15,000 years ago, when megafauna like mammoths, mastodons and giant ground slot...

I realize this is the third post in a row I've written about California's wetlands.  But bear with me.  They are fascinating ecosystems that are both beautiful and rare (nowadays).  I'll be back to singing my praises of springtime in the desert soon!  Wetlands and wildflowers at the West Bear Creek unit of the San Luis NWR Yesterday, Eric and I were able to spend the afternoon exploring San Luis National Wildlife Refuge.  We drove the auto tour routes, hiked the trails and generally reveled in the beauty of spring in the Great Valley.  In case you've never been out that way, or don't get the chance to visit any of the remaining wild corners of the valley this spring, come along with me on a little tour. A portion of the waterfowl auto tour route at San Luis NWR  The San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex is composed of several wildlife refuges in Merced and Stanislaus counties.  The San Luis, Merced and San Joaqu...

I already mentioned that  I have incredible parents , and that they encouraged my love of nature from a very young age.   They are outdoorsy people themselves, and probably had no idea how my love of nature would first blossom as a kid, and then explode, continuing to grow into adulthood.   But what a difference it has made in my life!   Hiking in the Sierra with my parents My earliest memories involve the outdoors: playing in our backyard and learning the call of a Mourning Dove, camping at the Grand Canyon, staying in a cabin at Lake Tahoe where we spent our days on a little beach by the lake.  When I was 9, we took a family road trip to Glacier National Park.   There is home video footage of me in a grassy field, identifying various species of wildflowers using a field guide… in the rain. The first wildflower field guide I owned.  (My collection is up to about 10 now, with more on my wish list!) One of the greatest weeks I ever ...

I can't imagine life without nature, life without hiking in the mountains, camping in the desert, swimming in lakes, exploring tide pools.  Because my parents taught me to appreciate the natural world from a young age, my life has been lived largely outdoors, exploring, learning, wondering.  They didn't just teach me how to hike and camp and swim; they taught me to be a naturalist. My parents are the best parents in the world.   Let me tell you why. On a road trip with my parents in Grand Teton National Park                 First, they named me after a glorious mountain range, the Range of Light, the Sierra Nevada.   They couldn't have picked a more suitable name.                 Second, they packed me with them all over those mountains in a "baby backpack" when I was still too sm...

I may never (correction: will almost certainly never) scuba dive in a kelp forest.  But with the help of the world-class facilities at Monterey Bay Aquarium, naturalists of all ages and skill levels can experience the wonder of the magnificent ocean ecosystems, from an underwater forest to the open seas, to rocky shores, without even getting wet (unless you really want to).  Yesterday, I had the privilege of spending the day exploring the ever-fascinating Monterey Bay Aquarium. For a naturalist, there is nothing more thrilling than exploring nature hands-on, in the elements, feeling the raw power of nature, the delicate balance of ecosystems.  A close second, however, is exploring nature in a more controlled setting that is designed to facilitate learning, such as a museum, aquarium, or lab.  And because most of us are not marine biologists with scuba certifications, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is our portal to the fascinating underwate...