Geographical Location: Western

September 22, 2020

Fenced-in desert tortoises rebound after huge decline

Desert tortoises suffered a “catastrophic decline” over two decades due to habitat degradation, extensive predation, disease and a lack of sufficient protection, according to a new study. But fencing to...

September 17, 2020

Is massive bird die-off in New Mexico linked to wildfires?

Biologists say an “unprecedented” number of migratory birds are dying in New Mexico, and they aren’t sure why. But they have an inkling it may have something to do with...

September 11, 2020

2 condor chicks, 1 adult found alive after Calif. wildfire

Biologists found two condor chicks alive amidst the charred area created by the Dolan Fire in Central California. The wildfire swept through the Ventana Wildlife Society’s California condor (Gymnogyps californianus)...

September 3, 2020

Translocating young Hawaiian monk seals improves survival

Shifting young Hawaiian monk seals from their whelping beaches to safer areas free of sharks and the threat of entanglement in marine debris may improve survival for the endangered marine...

August 25, 2020

Watch: Wildfire strikes California condor sanctuary

Usually the web cams at the Ventana Wildlife Society’s condor sanctuary near Big Sur, California, capture the activities of endangered California condors (Gymnogyps californianus). But when the Dolan Fire, one...

August 18, 2020

Hawaiian honeycreepers can resist avian malaria

Some native honeycreeper species may be able to survive avian malaria in Hawaii — but this resistance may mean they are allowing the disease to persist and pass on to...

August 11, 2020

Lead causes sublethal stress levels in condors

While California condors often die from exposure to lead and other contaminants, those that survive may still experience sublethal stress impacts. Researchers found that raptors that fed on marine mammal...

July 29, 2020

California’s sole wolf pack has productive litter

California’s only wolf pack took the stay-at-home order to heart and produced a large litter of eight pups. DNA testing showed that there were at least four male gray wolf...

July 21, 2020

Bird evolution may not keep up with climate change

Short-term changes in birds’ body shapes may not indicate an ability to evolve with the fast pace of modern climate change. Researchers recently compared fossils of relatively small birds from...

July 14, 2020

Western Section will host certification workshop July 17 and 18

The Western Section of The Wildlife Society will hold a virtual workshop on TWS certification July 17 and 18, led by Rhys Evans, CWB®, Biological Scientist/Natural Scientist Lead for Vandenberg...