The Unique Octo-gem, the California Two-spot Octopus

This post is written by Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Apprentice Izzy Song, thirteen years old. In the Rocky Intertidal at Cabrillo, lies a mysterious creature hidden underneath the algae. It grasps upon the rocks, mimicking the fluidity of the ocean— the twists and turns of its arms swinging into the gaps between the rocks. It looks toward the sun, showing its two, blue spots on … Continue reading The Unique Octo-gem, the California Two-spot Octopus

Grey, buff, and rufous-colored songbird holds large black insect in beak.

Adaptability in Say’s Phoebes

This post is written by 16 year old Conservation and Environmental Stewardship Apprentice Vivian Kowieski Say’s Phoebes are just one of the hundreds of migratory birds that visit San Diego each year. These little birds demonstrate great adaptability that is increasingly necessary for species to survive in the modern world. Here’s a look into what makes them so resilient. Say’s Phoebes (Sayornis saya) are described … Continue reading Adaptability in Say’s Phoebes

A seal sleeping on a rock along a rocky beach

What’s in the Tidepools? – November 2023

(NPS Photo/N. Viliani) As tidepool season is in full swing, November’s highlights included, octopus, sea hares, keyhole limpets, sea stars and more. It was a very busy month with a fee free day on Veteran’s Day, great low tides, a tour with Zoo Volunteers and a special visitor. Here is a sampling of what our volunteers observed during this month — thank you to everyone … Continue reading What’s in the Tidepools? – November 2023

Visitors Ignore Closed Signs at Yosemite

From thecooldown.com by Mike Taylor, November 25, 2023 Though national parks are a celebration of the beauty of nature, tourists aren’t always on their best behavior when visiting.  Tourons of National Parks (@touronsofnationalparks) shared a post about visitors behaving badly last month. This time, they encroached on a restoration area in Yosemite National Park’s largest grove of giant sequoias. Mikayla Morse (@mikaylamorse15) wrote in the caption that she came across a group … Continue reading Visitors Ignore Closed Signs at Yosemite

It’s Time to Start Counting Spiders

Arachnophobia is pretty bad, but disappearing spiders are much scarier. Popular Science – Published Nov 12, 2023 9:00 PM EST This article was originally featured on Knowable Magazine. I’m obsessed with jumping spiders. But it wasn’t always so. While never a spider hater or arachnophobe, I was pretty ambivalent about them for most of my life. Then I learned about jumping spiders: I’ve reported on their impressive … Continue reading It’s Time to Start Counting Spiders