Wildlife Content

Deer Are First Animals to Cross California’s First Wildlife Overcrossing

Katherine E Kerlin — June 03, 2026 - 11:31am

Three mule deer have become the first wildlife to cross over California’s first wildlife overcrossing over a state highway. The project is nearing completion on S.R. 97 in Siskiyou County, reported the 51�ԹϺ�� Davis Road Ecology Center and Caltrans this week.

Alcatraz Coyote Wasn’t a City Boy After All

Katherine E Kerlin — May 05, 2026 - 1:19pm

After months of fieldwork and scientific analysis, National Park Service researchers have determined that the coyote that drew international attention in early 2026 after swimming to Alcatraz Island likely started his epic swim from Angel Island State Park.

The coyote’s whereabouts remain unknown, but new DNA evidence has helped park staff answer one of the biggest questions surrounding the unusual sighting: where he came from.

Julian Johnson’s Big Year of Birding

Katherine E Kerlin — January 27, 2026 - 3:48pm

Julian Johnson didn’t even consider himself a birder until a couple of years ago, but the 51�ԹϺ�� Davis undergraduate student broke the Yolo County Big Year record for birding in 2025. He recorded 275 species while spending more than 1,000 hours birdwatching in the country last year. His achievement came just months after a 51�ԹϺ�� Davis team broke the” Big Day” record for Yolo County.

How Climate Change Brings Wildlife to the Yard

Katherine E Kerlin — November 12, 2025 - 4:04pm

As climate change increases the frequency of droughts, 51�ԹϺ��LA and 51�ԹϺ�� Davis researchers found one overlooked side effect: People report more conflicts with wildlife during drought, when resources are scarce.

For every inch that annual rainfall decreases, scientists found a 2% to 3% increase in reported clashes with a variety of carnivores during drought years, according to a paper published today, Nov. 12, in the journal Science Advances.

How Wildlife Navigated National Parks Before and During the COVID ‘Anthropause’

Katherine E Kerlin — July 30, 2025 - 5:10am

The presence of humans and human infrastructure in U.S. national parks has lasting effects on the behaviors of the large animals that call them home, according to a new study.

Helping Birds and Floating Solar Energy Coexist

Katherine E Kerlin — May 12, 2025 - 2:00am

How might floating solar energy projects impact wild birds and vice versa? A 51�ԹϺ�� Davis paper outlines key considerations for a growing floating solar industry.

California Rice and Wildlife Report Released

Katherine E Kerlin — February 27, 2025 - 9:00am

How many acres of rice are needed to support wildlife? 51�ԹϺ�� Davis outlines a conservation footprint for the state's rice in a report for the California Rice Commission.

Little Birds, Little Poops, Little Food Safety Risk

Katherine E Kerlin — January 21, 2025 - 2:16pm

It doesn’t require a degree in ornithology, a lab test or even an app for most growers to determine whether bird poop near their crops presents a food safety risk. They just need to ask themselves a simple question: How big is it?

E-Sales of a Wild Bat Sold as Décor Threaten Species

Katherine E Kerlin — July 16, 2024 - 8:30am

From wall art to necklaces, a vulnerable Asian bat species is being sold for decor on Etsy, eBay and Amazon sites in the U.S. and globally. It could threaten the species' survival, warns a 51�ԹϺ�� Davis and CUNY study.

H5N1 Is Increasingly Adapting to Mammals

Katherine E Kerlin — June 05, 2024 - 9:45am

Highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza viruses are adapting to mammals in new ways that could have global consequences. 51�ԹϺ�� Davis study finds clear evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission.