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, […]
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a proposal to list both species of western pond turtle – the northwestern pond turtle and the southwestern pond turtle – as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. In our local forests, pond turtles occur in lower elevation ponds and year-round streams. To read the […]
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 […]
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 […]
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.
*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 […]
Top 20 Landscape Photos *Photos are not in order of contest ranking
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 […]
Climbing closures are now in effect through July 15 to help protect our local population of these impressive creatures that had become extirpated from the park by the 1970s. The closures are updated regularly to provide both sustainable protection for active breeding peregrine pairs and maximal climbing access. So, before heading out on a climb, […]
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. […]