The Newt Normal

  To those who know and admire it, the newt is many things: a marvel of longevity; a paragon of resiliency; a deadly vessel of poison; a model organism for regenerative medicine; a golden-eyed charmer of quiet charisma. Though newts share a flat, slithery body shape with lizards, they are amphibians (a type of salamander), […]

Ackerson Meadow Restoration Project

  CSERC staff has been monitoring Ackerson Meadow for decades, and we’re currently participating in a process to improve this project even more for wildlife, especially the western pond turtle. For an excellent update on the project from American Rivers, click here.

California’s Big Snow Year Decimated Endangered Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep

CSERC staff has been monitoring recovery efforts for the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep for more than 25 years. Significant achievements had been made, so it’s heartbreaking to share that half of the Sierra Nevada population tracked by scientists died during last season’s record-breaking winter. Some sheep got trapped in avalanches, some died of starvation, […]

Forest Restoration in Yosemite

Fire suppression has resulted in forests with fuel loads so unnaturally high that when a wildfire comes through it can be dangerous to communities, firefighters, and ecosystem health. Prescribed fire and the management of natural lightning ignitions for resource benefit are the park’s primary tools for restoring forests. However, mechanical thinning may be necessary around […]

New Gray Wolf Pack Confirmed in the Sierra Nevada

California has a new gray wolf pack in Tulare County, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced this week. This is the Golden State’s southernmost pack and it is at least 200 air miles from the nearest known pack in northeastern California. That puts the Stanislaus Forest right in between two known wolf packs. If […]

cascading water in rocks below falls

Beautiful but Deadly: Water in Yosemite

Water in Yosemite is incredibly beautiful, but can be powerful and deadly. In the video linked below, Yosemite Search and Rescue rangers share their knowledge of common mistakes and how to avoid them. To watch the video, click here.

2023 Wildlife and Landscape Photo Winners Selected!

*The top 20 adult photos for both categories are linked at the bottom of this page.            After evaluating more than 500 photo entries, our staff has selected the winning photos in CSERC’s 2023 Photo Contest.  Three prizes were awarded in the Adult Contest for both the Wildlife category and the […]