Latest news with #CDFW
CBS News
20 hours ago
- CBS News
California summer camp staff member attacked by mountain lion
A summer camp staff member was injured after they were attacked by a mountain lion in Northern California last weekend, officials said. In a joint news release on Thursday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Trinity County Sheriff's Office said the staff member was attacked on Saturday afternoon at a summer camp east of Hyampom, California. The staff member sustained minor injuries and the lion took off. While searching the property to ensure the animal left the area, the property owner came across a mountain lion. Officials said, fearing for his life, the property owner euthanized the animal. No details surrounding how the animal was euthanized were released. The CDFW collected the mountain lion carcass for DNA testing, which later confirmed that the mountain lion euthanized was not the one responsible for the attack. A search is now underway for the mountain lion in the attack. Officials said mountain lions pose little threat to humans, saying a person is 1,000 times more likely to be struck by lightning than attacked by a mountain lion. People who come across mountain lions should never approach them, stay calm, face the animal, make loud noises and try to look bigger; never crouch down or bend over, put small children on their shoulders and keep pets leashed. Hyampom is located about 245 miles northwest of Sacramento and about 85 miles west of Redding.
CBS News
12-06-2025
- CBS News
As wolf packs grow in California, cattle ranchers face mounting losses
On the California-Oregon border, in the shadow of Mount Shasta, Axel Hunnicutt, state wolf coordinator for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, is on the hunt for the gray wolf. "Because it is potentially a kill site, we will be, you know, kind of cautious," Hunnicutt told CBS News. Once nearly extinct in the United States, wolves are making a comeback in California. Trail cameras show wolf packs in Siskiyou County. They're healthy and well-fed, partly because these wolves have developed a taste for beef. The Department of Fish and Wildlife says there are now 10 packs in the state, with three discovered this year. Ranchers Jim and Mary Rickert said that in the last year, they've lost 16 cows to confirmed wolf attacks, with 60 suspected kills. "It really eats into your herd and to your bottom line. It's hard for a lot of us to stay in business," Mary Rickert told CBS News. The first gray wolf wandered back into California by accident in 2011, according to the state. Wolves in the state soon became the most protected in the country, listed as endangered by both the federal and state governments. There are consequences for killing wolves, including jail time, the Rickerts said. "And so, we are really defenseless," Mary Rickert said. The state's population surged to between 50 to 70 wolves in a decade. California is now helping ranchers with a wolf-tracking map and possibly allowing more aggressive deterrents, such as shooting off bean bag rounds. "They need a negative lesson in order to have that reinforcement," Hunnicutt said. Rancher Janna Gliatto said she's lost almost 50 animals, despite trying "every deterrent that has ever been known or suggested." The ranch had to hire a night watchman. "We're probably paying about $70,000 to $100,000" a year, Gliatto said. California has already spent more than $3 million compensating ranchers for their losses, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The state Legislature in 2021 appropriated the funds to develop a Wolf-Livestock Compensation Pilot Program based on the need to address direct livestock loss, nonlethal deterrents and to pay for presence, according to the department. But the money has run out; the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said funds were exhausted in March 2024. Now the state says it's only paying for confirmed wolf kills, not deterrents. "The wolves, they're expensive. And if the state of California wants to sustain these sort of numbers, then it's going to be a costly project," Gliatto said. "It should not be our job to feed the wolves," she added. Patrick Griffin agrees. He investigates wolf attacks so ranchers can get paid. "Wolves need tolerant people to survive. That's the bottom line. If there's no compensation, tolerance goes away over a period of time," Griffin told CBS News. It's a price California taxpayers may have to pay — for the love of wolves.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Watch: 'Cinnamon' the bear spotted in backyard pool for first time since LA fires
Watch: 'Cinnamon' the bear spotted in backyard pool for first time since LA fires Show Caption Hide Caption Cinnamon the bear makes poolside return A neighborhood bear was seen for the first time since the Eaton Fire in January, taking a dip in a homeowners' pool. A local bear beloved in a Los Angeles County neighborhood made a splashy return to the public eye after not being spotted for nearly half a year. Residents in the city of Pasadena had begun to miss "Cinnamon" the bear, who was no where to seen since the Eaton Fire devastated the city in January. However on Wednesday, June 4, resident Ramona Mucciolo found the cherished mammal taking a dip at her home pool. Surveillance footage shared online shows Cinnamon chilling around the pool, cooling down ahead of the summertime. "I was in the kitchen looking out and she walked around to the shallow end and got in," Mucciolo told Storyful. Mucciolo said she lived across the street from the San Gabriel Mountains, which the destructive wildfire wrecked the area, particularly California's Altadena community. The Eaton Fire, along with the Palisades Fire burned over 37,000 acres for nearly a month killing at least 29 people. "Several bears frequented our neighborhood," she said. "Since the fire, none had returned until June 4, when Cinnamon showed up and relaxed in our pool. We rejoice at least one bear has survived the fires." 525-pound bear remerged from fires in February Cinnamon is not the only bear to rise from the ashes. In February, a 525-pound black bear was found hiding under the home of Altadena resident Samy Arbid, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The adult male, well-known to neighborhood residents as Barry, was discovered crouched in a crawl space beneath the home when a utility provider came to restore power. Bear finds refuge under an Altadena home during Eaton Fire A 525-pound bear was found under an Altadena home after the deadly Eaton Fire in Los Angeles, he was lured out to safety with treats. "I think during the fire he pretty much stayed there. I think he was scared," Arbid told local media outlets, according to Storyful, adding he "couldn't believe it." After a nearly 24 hour process, Barry exited the crawlspace and triggered the trap door within minutes from CDFW officials placing a trap. He was then transported to the Angeles National Forest, received a welfare check and a GPS collar before safely returning to the wild. Contributing: Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Massive Fish Kill at California Trout Hatchery Will Impact Stocking Efforts for Years
A fish hatchery in California's Eastern Sierras experienced a major failure late last month due to a sustained power outage and a problem with the facility's backup generators. In an announcement on May 27 officials with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said the power failure at the Fish Springs Trout Hatchery caused 'a widespread loss of fish,' totaling around 75 to 80 percent of the fish stocks there, a mixture of rainbow, brown, and Lahontan cutthroat trout. The losses at Fish Springs included fertilized eggs and fingerlings that were slated to be released next year, along with mature, catchable fish that would have been released in the coming months. Hatchery staff said this could impact stockings in the Eastern Sierras for the next two seasons, but that they would explore ways to minimize those impacts by bringing in fish from other hatcheries or buying eggs from private vendors. The trout raised at Fish Springs are typically stocked for recreational fishing at public waters across Mono and Inyo Counties, and it's one of 21 hatcheries operated by CDFW. 'We're devastated by the loss of these fish, which were the product of years of hard work and round-the-clock care by our expert hatchery staff,' CDFW program manager Russell Black said a release. Along with sourcing additional eggs and fish from other state-run hatcheries, Black explained that the agency's current priority is to assess and repair the facility's backup diesel generators. They were supposed to kick in during the power outage but didn't. The initial power outage occurred during the afternoon of May 20 and lasted for about two hours, according to CDFW, which had scheduled a contractor to fix the hatchery's backup generators just two days later, on May 22. It's unclear from the announcement if hatchery staff knew the generators were non-operational at the time the outage occurred — CDFW noted that backup power failures at its hatcheries are rare. Regardless, the effects were devastating for the trout as water levels dropped, temperatures rose, and dissolved oxygen levels decreased. Read Next: 'Senseless' Vandal Poisons Oregon Fish Hatchery, Killing 18,000 Salmon with Liquid Bleach In a statement Wednesday, the Los Angles Department of Water and Power, which supplies electricity to the Fish Springs Hatchery, said the initial power outage was caused by a car colliding with a power pole. The utility company said its crews repaired the outage as quickly as possible and clarified that the hatchery's other electrical problems were not its responsibility. 'While the loss of fish at the hatchery was unfortunate, we want to clarify that LADWP does not provide backup generators.'
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Surge of salmon-craving anglers expected across CA coast over weekend
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Officials expect a wave of anglers to visit the California coastline over the weekend as the recreational ocean salmon season opens for the first time following a two-year closure. The recreational ocean salmon fishery will be open for two days on Saturday, June 7, and Sunday, June 8. The daily bag limit is two Chinook salmon per day, with a minimum size of 20 inches in total length, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Due to a low abundance of Chinook, officials are limiting the total recreational harvest in the summer season to 7,000. If the 7,000 Chinook salmon guideline is not met over the June 7-8 weekend, CDFW said another season will open statewide July 5-6, July 31-August 3, and August 25-31, or until the guideline is reached. 'Given the 2-year ocean salmon fishery closure and the short duration of this fishing period, angler participation is expected to be high,' CDFW said. 'Anglers should prepare for crowds and long wait times at public launch ramps and marinas and consider travel, parking, and launch ramp conditions when finalizing plans.' California State Parks doesn't want you collecting sea glass or agates at the beach CDFW field staff will be positioned at dock sites to collect catch and effort information, the department said. The U.S. Coast Guard is encouraging safety on the water and said that due to the anticipated surge of boaters and potential requests for assistance, responses to boating accidents may be delayed. 'All boaters should monitor weather reports and forecasts, heed watches, warnings, or conditions that exceed capabilities of their vessel,' USCG said. 'Additionally, boaters should ensure proper operation of all vessel systems prior to getting underway and ensure carriage of all required equipment and safety gear in accordance with 33 and 46 Code of Federal Regulations.' The Coast Guard said boaters should carry a VHF marine radio for communication. Additionally, all boaters are encouraged to always wear a life jacket and dress for the water temperature, not the air temperature. Sonoma County Regional Parks said that boat launches in the area will be busy and parking lots can fill up by 10 a.m. Boaters should have an alternate destination planned in case a parking lot is at capacity, park officials said. Ocean salmon fishing regulations can be found on the CDFW website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
