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 […]

a young mountain lion laying amongst grasses, wildflowers, and granite boulders

Avian Influenza Detected in Deceased Mountain Lions

The Eurasian strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) was detected in two mountain lions in Mono County in December 2022 and January 2023, according to wildlife health experts with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). This is the second species of wild mammal known to have contracted HPAI H5N1 in California […]

usfs wildland firefighters at a prescribed burn

Protecting the Stanislaus Landscape

The Sierra Nevada is a fire-dependent ecosystem that, for too long, has not been allowed to care for itself naturally. Forest Service efforts will provide the best opportunity available to bring fire back to the landscape and ensure that our forest can accept it in a sustainable, resilient way when there are natural fire occurrences. […]

California Spotted Owl

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Proposes to List Sierra Nevada California Spotted Owl as Threatened

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to list the California spotted owl population in the Sierra Nevada as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. “Our goal is to help the California spotted owl recover across its range,” said Michael Fris, field supervisor of the Service’s Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office. “Ongoing collaboration with […]

Beetle-killed trees in the forest

Here is What Killed 36 Million Trees Last Year

A recent report from the U.S. Forest Service revealed that more than 36 million California trees died in 2022, marking a significant increase from 2021, when the total was only 9.5 million. The survey found the highest mortality rates at higher elevations, specifically in the central Sierra Nevada range. To read the full article, click here.

california spotted owl

How Wildfire and Drought Are Harming Wildlife Forest Habitat

A recent study by scientists at UC Berkeley and the U.S. Forest Service looked at how severe wildfire and prolonged drought have resulted in significant loss of conifer forests and mature forest habitat in the Sierra Nevadas between 2011 and 2020. Under current land management practices, most human activities are excluded from regions that are […]