Latest news with #AquariumofthePacific
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Hundreds of tiny creatures feared locally extinct return to California mountains
Hundreds of red-legged frog tadpoles, once thought locally extinct and then threatened by storms, have returned to the Santa Monica Mountains, experts reported. The Aquarium of the Pacific, working with the National Park Service, released almost 600 tadpoles in streams in the mountains near Los Angeles, the aquarium said in a July 15 news release. The frogs had not been seen in the mountains since the 1970s when the aquarium began a project to reintroduce them in 2014, experts said. In March 2025, severe late-winter storms endangered fragile red-legged eggs laid in streams and ponds throughout the mountains, the aquarium said. National Park Service biologists collected the eggs and brought them to the aquarium, where they were hatched and nurtured into tadpoles, experts said. Biologists will monitor the tadpoles this summer as they grow. 'This project has had its share of ups and downs over the years,' Katy Delaney, ecologist with Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, said in the release. 'But with committed partners like the aquarium, we're writing another hopeful chapter in the comeback story of the California red-legged frog.' California red-legged frogs, which were once plentiful, are now a federally threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The Santa Monica Mountains are about a 50-mile drive west from downtown Los Angeles. In a related effort, the Los Angeles Zoo, U.S. Geological Survey and the aquarium also released 450 southern mountain yellow-legged frogs in the San Gabriel Mountains, a July 10 news release from the zoo said. The zoo has been breeding the endangered species since 2007.
Chicago Tribune
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Shedd Aquarium names newest otter rescue after her California roots
No, she isn't green. Well, not her coat anyways. The newest addition to Shedd Aquarium's rescued sea otters officially has a name: Jade. The aquarium revealed the name Monday in a news release after a public vote. Winning over three other handpicked options, 'Jade' pays homage to Jade Cove south of Monterey, California, near where the otter was rescued. 'The rescued raft of sea otters serves as important ambassadors, connecting Chicagoans to coastlines and kelp forests that often feel far away, and we know how critical it is to connect on a personal level to care about it,' Andrea Oake, manager of sea otters and sea lions at Shedd Aquarium, said in a news release. The name reveal was the culmination of a five-day onsite vote in front of the aquarium's otter exhibit in the Abbott Oceanarium, spokesperson Kayley Galassini said. With voting open from June 20 through June 25, more than 2,000 votes were cast for their favorite otter-ly appropriate name. Guests picked from a list of choices provided by caretakers at Shedd, Galassini said. Other options included: Esa, for the Endangered Species Act; Marina, for the city where Jade was rescued; and Rey, for the Monterey Bay area. Jade was rescued on a beach in Marina, California, by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in June 2022, Shedd officials said. At rescue, Jade was estimated to be about 2 weeks old, and experts determined that the combination of rough sea conditions and low fog made it unlikely for her to reunite with her mother in the wild. In turn, she stayed at Monterey Bay Aquarium with around-the-clock care for six weeks before moving to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. Jade arrived at Shedd on May 1. She'll be raised in Chicago until she's mature enough to potentially become a surrogate mother as part of Monterey Bay Aquarium's sea otter surrogacy program, an initiative Shedd has partnered with the California institution on for more than two years. Monterey Bay's surrogacy program uses non-releasable female sea otters as surrogate mothers to raise stranded dependent pups for return to the wild, the institution says. Aquarium of the Pacific joined the venture in 2020. And since 2022, Shedd has played a role in the program too, providing a temporary home for non-releasable female sea otters poised to one day return to California to raise rescued, orphaned pups, the aquarium said. The cross-country partnership started in October 2022, when Shedd took in two female otter pups from California — Willow and Suri. For more than two years, they grew up at Shedd. But on April 30, the pair were taken back to California to mother orphaned otter pups, according to Galassini. Shedd took in Jade with the intent of her following in Willow and Suri's footsteps. Jade has met several of Shedd's other rescued otters, which the aquarium in a news release said is a 'significant step in socialization as she continues to acclimate.' 'Our animal care team is happy with how well she's acclimated, and we're having a lot of fun getting to know her; she is very inquisitive but also calm and confident,' Oake, of Shedd, said in a statement. 'Guests might spot her wrapped up in her favorite enrichment item of carwash strips that mimics kelp or carrying smaller balls on her chest, or sometimes she's diving and leaping around the strips.'
Los Angeles Times
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
52 L.A. places and secret spots to watch Fourth of July fireworks and drone shows
Long Beach Aquarium Call Route Website Marvel at marine life this Independence Day at the Aquarium of the Pacific's 4th of July for the outdoor Veranda dining area are available at 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Friday, with slots lasting an hour. Tickets are $70 for adults and $55 for children and include general admission to the aquarium. Once the maritime museum closes at 8 p.m., pop over to the nearby Seashell Park or ShoreLine Aquatic Park to view the 9 p.m. fireworks over Rainbow Harbor. Route Details Artesia Point of Interest Call Route Website Flex your swing at the city of Artesia's 4th of July Celebration, featuring a double-elimination pickleball tourney kicks off at 1 p.m. (check-in at noon) Friday at Artesia Park & Albert O. Little Community Center, with family games, live Latin music and fireworks to follow. The explosive finale is scheduled for 9 p.m. Admission is free, and don't forget to bring your picnic blankets. Route Details Baldwin Park Festival Call Route Website Watch more than fireworks fly into the sky at Baldwin Park's Independence Day Spectacular on Thursday at Sierra Vista High open at 5:30 p.m. for this free community event, which will feature a concert by Marvin Gaye tribute band Trouble Man as well as carnival rides, food vendors and acrobats. Stay for the 9:30 p.m. synchronized firework show. No alcohol is permitted, and coolers are subject to search. Route Details Burbank Performing Arts Theater Route Website As the Starlight Bowl in Burbank undergoes repairs following the January wildfires in L.A., the venue's Independence Day celebration this year has been moved down the hillside to McCambridge the fires just barely in the rearview, the venue will also sub out its traditional fireworks display in favor of a drone light show visible throughout the city. Those who can't make it to McCambridge can still tune into the show's soundtrack via the Starlight Bowl begin at 5 p.m. Friday, with the drone show scheduled for 9 p.m. In between, L.A.-based groups the Ultimate Rock Band and Bruno and the Hooligans will perform at the park. The event is free, with limited parking available on-site and additional spaces available in several downtown Burbank parking structures. Route Details Avalon Point of Interest Call Route Website Just a ferry ride away, Catalina Island is hosting several days of Fourth of July fun. The festivities begin on the eve of Independence Day with a performance by the USC Trojan Marching Band, happening from 3 to 4 p.m. on Thursday at Wrigley Stage Avalon Bay the morning of the Fourth, play judge at the Home & Business Decorating Contest, then soak up the island vibes at the afternoon golf cart and dinghy parades before scoping out your viewing spot for the 9 p.m. firework show over Avalon Bay. Pros recommend the Catalina Casino promenade or a Cyclone power boat. Catalina Express ferries depart up to 30 times daily, so don't stress about missing them. Round trip fare is $84 for adults, $75.50 for seniors and $65 for children, and parking at the ports of San Pedro, Long Beach or Dana Point is between $20 to $25 for the day. The fireworks show is free. Route Details Catalina Island Harbor Route On Saturday, a more laid-back iteration of the Avalon Bay festivities will take place at Two Harbors, starting 10 a.m. Saturday with the 39th Annual Children's Festival and capping off with a 9 p.m. firework show over Isthmus Cove. Catch the show on the water or from the classic Harbor Reef Restaurant. Route Details Porter Ranch Point of Interest Call Route Website Visit Shepherd's Church in Chatsworth for a 4th of July Spectacular for the whole family. Offerings include kids' activities, food vendors and a World War II replica flyover from the Condor Squadron. Gates open at 5 p.m. and fireworks fly at 9 p.m. Route Details Claremont Point of Interest Call Route Website It's the 75th annual 4th of July Celebration in Claremont, and the agenda is your July 4 holiday off with pancakes at Memorial Park, then run in a 1K or 5K race before cooling down with a 1 p.m. community parade. In the evening, make your way to the Pomona College Strehle Track for a firework show by Pyrospectaculars. Gates open at 6:30 can also enjoy barbecue and live music at the track before the show starts at 9 p.m. Tickets for the show are $10 and can be purchased online or at the Alexander Hughes Community Center. Route Details La Crescenta-Montrose Point of Interest Call Route Website The 18th annual Crescenta Valley Fireworks Celebration will be held Friday at La Crescenta Elementary open at 4 p.m., with fireworks slated to fly at dark. In the interim, jump in inflatables, hop between food trucks and listen to live music. Day-of tickets are $10. Presale tickets are $9 and may be purchased at the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce, Bob Smith Toyota, J's Maids & Maintenance, Crescenta Valley Weekly Newspaper and Crescenta Valley Insurance. Children age 7 and under attend free. Route Details Culver City Point of Interest Call Route Website Sport your finest retro gear at the '80s-themed Downtown Culver City Independence Celebration, running 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday at Town Plaza. The free, family-friendly event, which is in its second year, will feature live music by L.A.-based band Guilty Pleasure Makers, a flag salute and national anthem by local talent and a drone light show sure to enchant onlookers. Route Details Elysian Park Baseball stadium Call Route Website Spice up your Independence Day by watching the Dodgers face off against the Houston Astros. The game starts at 6:10 p.m. Friday, with a post-game firework display to follow. Tickets start at $72. Route Details Duarte Point of Interest Call Route Website Grab a bite at a food truck and hop on a ride or two at the Independence Day Celebration & Fireworks Show on Thursday at the Duarte Sports open at 5:30 p.m., and fireworks start at 9 p.m. In the interim, guests will be serenaded by Latin Soul Band, and they can float between the beer garden and a family play area with inflatables and lawn games galore. Parking and entry are free, but the venue recommends arriving early to snag the best firework-gazing spot. If you forget to pack your picnic chairs and blankets, you can also watch the show from the bleachers. Route Details El Segundo Point of Interest Call Route Website Head to El Segundo's Recreation Park on Friday for a day of food, field games and all-day event will be split into daytime (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and evening (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.) festivities. During the former, guests can flex their Hula-Hoop expertise or pie-eating skills, and during the latter, they can enjoy live music and a firework risers are invited to stake their claim on a softball field patch as early as 8 a.m. Wristbands are required for entry. El Segundo residents are allotted four wristbands per adult with a 2025 Rec ID Card, while nonresidents or those without an ID Card can purchase wristbands on the day of the event at $5 apiece. Route Details Gardena Point of Interest Call Route Website Gardena's 4th of July Celebration will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Friday at Rowley Park. Join the city in celebrating with food trucks, games and a 9 p.m. firework show. Entry is free. Route Details Hawaiian Gardens Festival Call Route Website Hawaiian Gardens is hosting its annual Independence Day celebration from 7 to 10 p.m. Thursday at Fedde Sports Complex. The free event will feature live music, food trucks and a 9 p.m. firework show. Route Details Hollywood Hills Point of Interest Call Route Website Sing along to 'September' in July at the Hollywood Bowl's annual fireworks spectacular, scored this year by Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Earth, Wind & Fire — with assists from conductor Thomas Wilkins and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.A trio of shows will run Wednesday through Friday at the Hollywood Hills venue, with gates open at 5:30 p.m. and show kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Attendees looking to save some cash on concessions are invited to picnic and BYOB (wine or beer only), so long as any containers fit under your seats or within your range in price from about $50 to $350, with VIP packages on the higher end. The Hollywood Bowl recommends using your phone to add digital tickets to your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet before you arrive for smooth entry. As for getting there, you have a few options, the most expensive and most limited being driving and then on-site parking (booked through ParkWhiz). If you don't mind some friendly public transportation, check out available Park & Ride locations across L.A. County or take the Bowl Shuttle from nearby locales like the L.A. Zoo. Tickets for both are $15 and under. Or take the Metro B Line to the Hollywood/Highland Station and walk a few blocks north. Route Details Hollywood Point of Interest Call Route Website Cinespia has the filmic Fourth of July show for you, whether your penchant is for stunts or Hollywood Forever Cemetery's open-air theater this year will screen California-based classics 'Top Gun' (1986) and 'La La Land' (2016) on Friday and Saturday respectively. A firework show will cap off each screening. Both nights, gates open at 7:15 p.m. and the movie magic begins at 9 p.m. (Fair warning: Some people tend to line up an hour or three early to snag their first-come, first-served seats.) Picnics are a go, so long as you leave any hard liquor and tall chairs at home. Bring a tarp to protect your cozy bedding in the event of damp grass. Tickets are $45, so make the most of them by enjoying the pre- and post-screening DJ sets or snapping some pics at the venue's free photo is available on-site or at the Hollywood Production Center Lot at 1149 N. Gower St. and the Lemon Grove Parking structure 900 N. Van Ness Ave. (Entrance on Lemon Grove). Pro tip: Download free app Subtitles Viewer to sync with the screenings in case you wind up seated too far to hear well. Route Details Hollywood Hotel Route Dance Independence Day away at the Godfrey Hotel's Rooftop 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. Kicking into gear at 8:30 p.m. Friday and running until 1 a.m., the patriotic party will feature refreshments and music by L.A.-based DJ Shell. Tickets are $40, and event hosts recommend either valeting or parking across the street from the hotel. Route Details La Mirada Point of Interest Call Route Website Head to La Mirada for an Independence Celebration returning to La Mirada Regional Park from 4 to 9:30 p.m. community-favorite event will feature live performances from country act Dawson and Latin pop and salsa band Tabu, along with food vendors and a 9 p.m. patriotic program featuring fireworks. Entry is free, and parking is available on-site. Overflow parking will also be up for grabs at La Mirada Civic Center, the stadium parking lot at La Mirada High School and the La Mirada Boulevard entrance to Biola University. The city is providing free shuttles from Biola to the park, with departures beginning at 3 p.m. and ending 45 minutes after the event. Route Details Lancaster Point of Interest Call Route Website See the desert sky burst into vivid color at the 4th of July Fireworks Extravaganza in open at 5 p.m. Friday at the AV Fair & Event Center, where you can snack on food truck treats and flaunt your wheels at a classic car show. The grand firework finale begins at 9 year also marks the debut of the Kids Market, where mini entrepreneurs can sell handmade goods and crafts to community members. Entry is free, but grandstand seats go for $5. Parking passes can be purchased for $8. Route Details La Puente Point of Interest Call Route Website La Puente will host an Independence Day Celebration from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at La Puente City Park. At the free event, children can expend their energy at the inflatables while their parents enjoy a hopping beer garden by House n Brews . Southern California-based '80s tribute band Neon Nation, DJ Killah Noez and L.A.-based band Chico will also perform. Route Details Long Beach Point of Interest Call Route Website Head to the Boathouse on the Bay on Thursday for a waterfront block party featuring barbeque, bangers and a boatload of admission is $85 for this snazzy celebration ($35 for kids 10 and under), beginning at 5 p.m. and capping off with a 9 p.m. firework show over Alamitos Bay. Event proceeds go toward the Boys & Girls Club of Long Beach and other local organizations like the Action Sports Kids Foundation, Children Today, Los Altos YMCA and the Autism Partnership Foundation. Because the firework show has continued in recent years to face litigation related to its alleged harm caused to local marine life, the event organizers said this could be the Boathouse on the Bay's last hoorah. Route Details Lynwood Point of Interest Call Route Website The patriotic partying begins at 5 p.m. Thursday at Lynwood City Park. (Look for the baseball fields.) The city's annual Independence Day Celebration will have live performances, inflatables, food booths and a firework show closing the night. Route Details Marina del Rey Point of Interest Call Route Website Enjoy a seaside rendezvous this Friday in Marina del Rey, where a 9 p.m. firework spectacular will be visible from coastal locales including Venice Pier, Playa Vista and Dockweiler Beach. If you're more sonically inclined, head to Burton W. Chace Park or Fisherman's Village to enjoy music synchronized to the spectacle. While Marina del Rey boasts a slew of waterfront restaurants, limited grills and picnic tables are also available on a first-come, first-served basis at Burton W. Chace Park and ' Mother's Beach .' The 20-minute firework show is free to view, and parking is available for $11 to $20 at public lots throughout the marina, Venice and Dockweiler. Alternatively, take advantage of a free beach shuttle, running until 8 p.m., or the $1 Marina del Rey WaterBus, running until 11 p.m. Route Details Monrovia Point of Interest Call Route Website Dance the night away at the Fourth of July concert and fireworks show on Friday at Monrovia's Library Park. Featuring music by the Motown-inspired Blue Breeze Band, the event kicks off at 7 p.m., but visitors are welcome to arrive starting at 6 a.m. to claim a space of up to 10-by-10 feet. Fireworks are set to launch at 9 p.m. Route Details Norwalk Festival Call Route Website This year's Independence Day Celebration in Norwalk has moved to a new location at Holifield Park. The free event will run from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday and offer food, live music, face painting and other games — plus a 9 p.m. firework show. Parking will be available on Norwalk Boulevard and Excelsior Drive. Additionally, a shuttle service will transport guests from the event's previous location at the Civic Center to the park. Route Details Pacific Palisades Point of Interest Route Website Watch drones light up the coastal sky at the 78th annual Pacific Palisades July 4th Celebration, open exclusively to Palisades residents and their family and year's iteration of the beloved neighborhood event will be hosted at the Paul Revere Middle School Campus and Field on Friday. Entry opens to preissued ticket holders at 5 p.m., and no tickets will be available to purchase entertainment and kids activities begin at 5 p.m., and the one-hour drone show kicks off around 9 p.m. Palisadians looking for some early-morning programming are also invited this year to participate in the Santa Monica 4th of July Parade, beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Pico Boulevard and Main Street. Route Details Palmdale Point of Interest Call Route Website Enjoy a concert with an explosive finale at Friday's Fireworks Celebration at Palmdale Lucky Devils Band will hit the stage at 8 p.m., with fireworks to follow 15 minutes after the band's show ends. Arrive when gates open at 6 p.m. to set up at the festival-style venue, and enjoy drink specials until 7 p.m. No outside food or beverages or allowed, and the event is cash-free, so don't forget your Visa, MasterCard or Discover card. Tickets are required and must be purchased online for $6 apiece (kids under 12 enter for free). On-site parking is limited, so consider instead parking at the Highlands Christian Fellowship or Highland High School lots and taking a shuttle the rest of the way. Route Details Pomona Point of Interest Call Route Website Watch monster trucks crawl and crash at Kaboom!Fairplex's annual Fourth of July celebration in Pomona on Friday will feature Tuff Trucks, '80s tunes and a patriotic-themed firework show. The monster jam begins at 8 p.m., and fireworks fly around 9:15 start at $14 for a spot in the grass and get up to $45 for bleacher seats. Parking is available for $21.50 online or $25 at the gate. Make the most of your grass-section ticket by packing your own food (no alcohol allowed) and low camping chairs. Route Details Long Beach Point of Interest Call Route Website Step back in time aboard the Queen Mary, whose Fourth of July affair, beginning at 3 p.m., takes passengers through themed parties spanning decades. Once you've done the Brooklyn shuffle one too many times, head to the deck for a 15-minute firework spectacular, kicking off at 9 p.m. are $65 for adults and $45 for children, with self-parking available for $35 per vehicle, per day. VIP admission ($185) includes a trip to the barbecue buffet in the Grand Salon, exclusive party access and premium seating during the fireworks show. After the last explosion of light, keep your energy up for an extra $20 at the Silent Disco after-party, running from 9:30 to 11 p.m. Route Details Long Beach Point of Interest Call Route Website The budget conscious can still savor the Queen Mary's 9 p.m. firework display from afar at several lookout points along the Long Beach Waterfront. Prime spots include Lions Lighthouse in Shoreline Aquatic Park, Shoreline Village, Rainbow Harbor and Marina Green. Paid parking is available at lots including the Aquarium of the Pacific parking structure and the Pike Outlets. For a dose of maritime merriment, hop on a dinner cruise with City Cruises. Boarding is at 6:30 p.m., but arrive well in advance at the Rainbow Harbor dock — and don't forget your semiformal attire. Route Details Rancho Palos Verdes Venue Call Route Website Rancho Palos Verdes has Independence Day activities for littles and their parents Friday celebration begins at 3 p.m. at Ken Dyda Civic Center. There, kids can enjoy inflatables and small rides while parents taste test at beer and wine booths on-site. When the sun goes down, everyone's eyes will be glued to a grand finale drone light show. Entry is free. Route Details Pasadena Historic Landmark Route Website The Rose Bowl is shaking up its annual Fourth of July celebration. This year, the bash coincides with FoodieLand Food Festival, running Friday through Sunday at the venue. In place of fireworks, the Rose Bowl this Independence Day will commemorate the holiday with a drone show only visible to FoodieLand attendees. Route Details Rosemead Amphitheatre Call Route Website Fourth of July fun kicks off at 10 a.m. Friday in Rosemead, where a parade beginning on Valley Boulevard and Muscatel Avenue will lead attendees to Rosemead Park — the center of the the park, carnival games, community performances and a patriotic dog costume contest will fill the afternoon before fireworks fly at dusk. Food and craft vendors will also be selling goods. Save a chunk of change on carnival wristbands by purchasing them in advance online or at the Garvey Center or Rosemead Community Recreation Center. On the day of, wristbands will rise in price and go from $12 to $15. Route Details San Fernando Festival Call Route Website Work up an appetite for San Fernando's Independence Day festival, featuring a watermelon eating contest and a patriotic drone light show. The free event begins at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Recreation Park. Enjoy carnival games, crafts and food and artisan vendors. Drones fly at 9 p.m. Route Details San Marino Point of Interest Call Route Website Busy bees will feel right at home at San Marino's Independence Day celebration, running from 7 a.m. to after dark on moving at the 8 a.m. JP Blecksmith 5K Memorial Run, then refuel at a food booth in Lacy Park before joining the parade palooza along Monterey Road to Virginia Road and back through the the evening, enjoy the Motown sounds of tribute band Stone Soul and a presentation of colors by the San Marino Scouts — both preludes to the main event, the Friends, Family, & Fireworks show, slated for a 9 p.m. start are required for entry. Presale wristbands are $5 for residents and $15 for nonresidents and can be purchased at San Marino Community Center and Crowell Public Library. Wristbands purchased day-of are $20 for residents and non-residents. No on-site parking is available. Instead, visitors should park in residential streets. Alcohol is prohibited. Route Details Santa Clarita Point of Interest Call Route Website If you're seeking a quick nightcap, head to the Valencia Town Center at 9:15 p.m. on Friday for a fireworks show over the mall. The event is free, and you may even get a bonus view of the Magic Mountain firework display a few miles west. Route Details Santa Fe Springs Point of Interest Call Route Website Sing a different tune or a few at Santa Fe Springs' annual '3rd of July' celebration, featuring live performances from soft pop artist Luke Metzler and retro act Charlie's Angels, among at 3:30 p.m. at Los Nietos Park, visitors can shuffle between food trucks and family games before settling down for the 9 p.m. firework display. The viewing area at the Santa Fe Springs Athletic Fields opens an hour before the shuttles will depart from Town Center Parking Lot (11740 E. Telegraph Road) and Betty Wilson Center (11641 Florence Ave.) and drop visitors near the corner of Charlesworth Avenue and Jersey Avenue. Be sure to bring your own chairs and blankets for the evening, but leave barbecues, canopies and umbrellas at home. Route Details South El Monte Festival Call Route Website Celebrate at South El Monte's Independence Day Fireworks Festival, scheduled from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday at South El Monte High School. The event is free, and offerings include food vendors, games and a performance by Steel Rod. Fireworks fly at 9 p.m. Route Details South Gate Festival Call Route Website The City of South Gate is hosting a multiday 4th of July Festival from Thursday through Sunday, with a firework show scheduled for 9 p.m. top of the pyrotechnics, the event will also feature carnival rides, games, food and performances from a lineup of Latin groups. Hours are 2 to 11 p.m. every day except Thursday (5 to 11 p.m.), which is $2 ride night. Admission is free. Route Details South Pasadena Point of Interest Call Route Website The city of South Pasadena is celebrating all day long with its annual 4th of July Festival of year's event, themed 'Unity in Community: One Nation, One Neighborhood,' begins Friday with a 7 a.m. pancake breakfast at the South Pasadena Fire Station. Later in the morning, a parade will make its way from the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room to Garfield Park. There, a live DJ will play pop tunes as visitors enjoy food, games and other family-friendly up the festivities is a live concert from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., followed by a firework show at the South Pasadena High School Stadium. Fireworks presale tickets are $15 per person, and day-of tickets are $20. Gates open at 7 p.m. Route Details Studio City Point of Interest Call Route Website Step up your game with Universal Studios' 4th of July Celebration, accessible to daily and season ticket special event will include live performances by a fife and drum band, Independence Day-themed decor and a firework show to remember. Plus, park rides will remain open during the festivities. Park admission starts at $149, and fireworks begin around 9 p.m. Route Details Unincorporated Santa Susana Mountains Amusement park Call Route Website Catch the fireworks from atop the Lex Luthor Drop of Doom this Independence Day Flags Magic Mountain's 4th of July Celebration spans Friday through Sunday, when park visitors can catch fireworks nightly at 9:15 p.m. from across the park. Prime viewing points include Full Throttle Plaza, DC Universe and Main Gate Plaza. Park admission starts at $65. A VIP firework viewing ticket, available for purchase in the park only, includes access to reserved seating in Full Throttle Plaza and refreshments. Route Details Walnut Point of Interest Call Route Website Join the city of Walnut for a Fourth of July in the park featuring live music, a pooch parade and an evening firework show. The Friday event runs 5 to 9:30 p.m. at Suzanne Park, with fireworks scheduled to launch around 9 p.m. Attendance is free, and limited parking is available on-site. Bring your own cozy gear and picnic baskets, but leave your alcoholic beverages at home for this family-friendly extravaganza. Route Details Westlake Village Point of Interest Call Route Website Westlake Village's 10th annual 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular will take place at Westlake Golf Course Friday. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the event kicks off at 6 family-friendly offerings include inflatables, a putting contest, food trucks and a firework spectacular scheduled to begin at 9:10 p.m. The show can be viewed from the golf course range. Parking is not available on-site, but guests can park for free off Lakeview Canyon Road and Townsgate Road. Route Details Whittier Point of Interest Call Route Website Bring your best picnic gear to York Field in Whittier for a 4th of July Firework Spectacular featuring food trucks, inflatables and live music by Legacy, playing pop and Latin the sun goes down, take in the grand finale fireworks, flying at 9 p.m. Admission is $5, but veterans and those 17 and under enter free. Gates open at 5 p.m. Park on-site or at Sierra Education Center, where you can take a shuttle to the park. Route Details Woodland Hills Point of Interest Call Route Website Join Councilmember Bob Blumenfield at his July 4 Extravaganza in Woodland event will take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at Warner Park and features a free concert by the Doors tribute band Strange Days as well as food trucks, arts and crafts vendors and local business booths. A 20-minute firework show will commence at dusk. Admission is free, but VIP seats can be purchased for $25, with an optional $15 parking add-on. Parking proceeds will go toward the Valley Cultural Foundation. Route Details Here are several honorary mentions for places to view fireworks if you can't make it to one of the local celebrations above. Echo Park Park Attraction Route Rent a pedal boat and watch the fireworks reflect over Echo Park Lake. With LED lights below, L.A. city lights above and the twinkling water in between, you'll be living your best 'Tangled' fantasy. Reservations are required, and admission is $13 per person. If Echo Park gets booked up, try the Rainbow Lagoon Swan Boat Night Rides in Long Beach. Route Details Signal Hill Park Call Route Website Savor the panoramic view at Hilltop Park, where picking a firework show to focus on will be like choosing a patch of stars to gaze upon. Park tables are also available for late-night picnic fare. Route Details Hollywood Hills Historic Landmark Route The scenic Mulholland Drive is dotted with dozens of lookout points, but this one is the most popular for a reason. Peek at the nearby Hollywood Bowl's fireworks spectacular or look out at the horizon, sparkling in bright hues. Route Details Redondo Beach Point of Interest Call Route Website Head to Redondo Beach Pier, which is open 24 hours, and watch fireworks explode over the water — from the Palos Verdes Peninsula to Manhattan Beach. Route Details Norwalk Roadside attraction Route If all else fails, stay comfy in the car and cruise down the 105 Freeway West between the 605 Freeway and 110 Freeway for beachfront firework views. Alternatively, hit the 110 Freeway between the 91 Freeway and 10 Freeway to see eastward and westward firework displays. The sweet spot is between 8 and 10 p.m. Route Details
Miami Herald
20-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Tiny endangered species returns home ‘more resilient than ever' after CA wildfire
Ten days after the start of a deadly California wildfire, researchers rushed to a lagoon — one that held a tiny endangered species. 'Armed with three Coleman coolers, hand nets and larger, weighted 'seine' nets,' faculty member Brenton Spies and student Sophia Hoolihan traveled 'to the shores of the Topanga Lagoon' in the Santa Monica Mountains on Jan. 17, California State University Channel Islands said in a June 18 news release. The hope was to rescue a group of northern tidewater gobies 'before the debris flow came down,' Hoolihan, who recently graduated, said in the release. 'We had to kind of jump on a call and make it all happen really fast,' Spies said . A group of biologists managed to rescue the fish 'from one of their few remaining natural habitats,' the Aquarium of the Pacific said in a news release. And now, after the fish spent five months at the Aquarium of the Pacific and Heal the Bay Aquarium, 'a crisis that began with the Los Angeles fires came full circle,' the university said. 'They've returned back to their homes more resilient than ever,' Aquarium of the Pacific aquarist Stacy Hammond said in the release. The rescue and return home After meeting in Santa Monica, the team, which included multiple wildlife agencies, headed to the lagoon in 'about seven or eight cars,' said Hoolihan, who had been researching the fish as part of her senior capstone project. 'We had to get a bunch of ice chests, travel to the lagoon and then sort which fish we could take,' Spies said. As two people held a net, others would 'walk out 10 feet or so' into the lagoon, Hoolihan said. Then, they placed the fish into 5-gallon buckets, where someone sorted 'them using handheld nets, looking for fungal disease,' she said. 'One fish with fungal disease can spread,' Hoolihan said. Once the fish were sorted, the team transported them to the aquariums, which cared for them until June 17, the university said. 'They were kind of on a vacation, getting fed twice a day, with no stress of predators,' Spies said. During their months-long stay, the fish prospered. 'This group of fish are small but mighty, and they have physically grown so much during their time here,' Hammond said. Though the fish's lagoon was 'significantly impacted by sedimentation from the fire,' there is now 'sufficient habitat ... allowing these hardy fish to be safely returned to their natural habitat,' the aquarium said. 'The fish are doing really well,' Spies said. Their return home was 'significant,' as, prior to the Palisades Fire, the lagoon 'supported the healthiest and most consistently abundant northern tidewater goby population in Los Angeles County,' according to the aquarium. The species' rescue, though, affects more than just their own population's survival. 'It's not just this one individual fish that we're trying to save,' Spies said in a video shared by the Aquarium of the Pacific on Facebook. 'It's the health of these ecosystems.' 'Keystone species' Although it may be 'easy to dismiss the relatively unimpressive gobies,' which are about 2 inches long and live less than a year, 'they are a critical link in the health of the overall environment,' the university said. 'They're so small and they don't have the vibrant colors everybody wants in their aquarium, but they are so important to the ecosystem,' Spies said. 'They really are a keystone species. They hold the food web together.' The fish's 'presence or absence can signal the health of the entire system, including coastal food webs and lagoon habitats,' the aquarium said. While once abundant in Southern California lagoons, 'loss of habitat, drought and introduction of non-native predators have taken a toll on the tidewater gobies,' according to the university. In 2017, Spies pushed to have the species relocated from 'from the Topanga Lagoon to other locations in order to increase their numbers,' the university said. 'There are very few of us who study the tidewater goby even though it's endangered,' Spies said. 'Very few scientists are permitted to collect them so it's a niche I've had to maintain.' The university, along with the Resource Conservation District of Santa Monica Mountains, will continue to monitor the fish 'to ensure their survival,' the aquarium said.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Long Beach aquarium spotlights 'real animals, real birds, real fish' with new report card
Long Beach's Aquarium of the Pacific has launched a new project aimed at putting the conservation spotlight on the stars of the marine ecosystem — the plants and animals — in an effort to forge a stronger connection with the public. 'People don't really care about biodiversity," said Peter Kareiva, president and chief executive of the Aquarium of the Pacific. "They care about the species that they know. They care about real animals, real birds, real fish." To that end, the aquarium on Thursday released an inaugural Marine Species Report Card, a collaborative effort that assesses the population status of 30 species found on the California coast. The report card spans marine mammals, fish, birds, kelp and invertebrates — including ocean celebrities like gray whales and lesser-known cast members such as owl limpets, sea snails that "often get mistaken for rocks," according to the National Park Service. Scientists and researchers from more than two dozen institutions and organizations contributed to the report card, which is available to view online. The plan is to update it every three to four years. No letter grade is assigned to the species, but each is labeled with an arrow to signify whether its ranks are increasing, decreasing or staying the same. An accompanying narrative provides a more in-depth overview of how they're doing. Kareiva believes the conservation movement has shifted its focus to what he described as more abstract concepts, such as biodiversity. But he said it was a mistake to underestimate how much people care about species. Spotlighting species helps foster a connection to the public and reveals a nuanced picture of the ecosystem in the throes climate change, in which some plants and animals are thriving while others are barely hanging on, he and other aquarium staffers said. 'When we get up to the biodiversity questions or the ecosystem questions, it's harder to say, 'Here's where our successes are' or to drive people to want to invest,' said Brett Long, vice president of animal care at the aquarium. He added that establishing a connection through digestible information can serve as a pathway for broader conversations. The report card encompasses several distressing tales, including that of white abalone, which were perilously overfished in the 1970s and '80s. The endangered marine snail with a coveted iridescent shell remains threatened by a disease called withering syndrome, which it may be more susceptible to due to the stress of ocean warming and acidification, according to the report card. But there also are more heartening stories. Giant sea bass also were overexploited to the brink of extinction, but they've started to rebound in recent decades as a result of a ban on commercial gill nets, according to Jeremy Claisse, a professor in the biological sciences department at Cal Poly Pomona who worked on the report card. Then there are conservation narratives that are harder to sum up as good or bad. Once thought to be extinct, southern sea otters rebounded but have plateaued at about 3,000 animals in their existing range — which is nowhere near their historic range. "By telling these individual stories, we can learn a lot about how different management efforts are working, or how climate change is going to impact one species versus another," Claisse said. More than a dozen of the species on the report card can be found at the Long Beach aquarium. Sleek sea otters dive and twirl in a tank before awed visitors. Captive-bred white abalone are the under-the-radar stars of another exhibit showcasing their habitat to raise awareness of their plight. Kareiva described the project as a response to what he said was an evolution in the main concerns of large conservation nonprofits. He said these groups used to be focused on the "organismal" aspect of conservation but for good reason concentrated their attention on broader ecological and policy-focused concepts, leaving zoos and aquariums to essentially be the spokespeople for plants and animals. "They're so concerned with succeeding at scale," policy-wise, he said of the organizations, citing the Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Conservation International and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Kareiva previously served as vice president of science for the Nature Conservancy. "Politically and strategically, it was probably the savvy move if you're operating at the national level," he said of the conservation movement. He said the result is that when data are collected, not enough attention is paid to species. The goal of the report card "is to reinvigorate the species and the organismal part of conservation," he said. Joe Walston, executive vice president of Wildlife Conservation Society Global, said in a statement that the nonprofit hasn't changed its 'ultimate focus from wildlife and wild places' but explained the rationale behind championing ecosystems. He said dealing with threats such as over-hunting, illegal fishing and deforestation are no longer sufficient to protect wildlife. "With the extraordinary pressures from climate change, we need to extend our influence and ensure that we are focusing on 'the health of the whole'; the ability to maintain the resilience of these ecosystems that not only protects the wildlife from the local threats, but also ensures their ecosystem remain[s] robust and resilient in the face of the larger pressures," he said. Sophie Parker, the interim science director for the Nature Conservancy's California chapter, said the nonprofit has a long history of working with zoos and aquariums — including a current collaboration involving the Aquarium of the Pacific — to recover imperiled species. 'We also need to ensure that broader habitats and systems are healthy and connected, so that when we reintroduce species, they can thrive,' she said in a statement. Many, including Kareiva, don't see conservation approaches centered on the ecosystem or the organism as mutually exclusive but complementary. Brendan Cummings, conservation director for the Center for Biological Diversity, said there's an extinction crisis imperiling thousands of species, a dire phenomenon worthy of priority. And the same time, the loss isn't just percentages — it's actual living things. Cummings said that's a separate matter from what resonates with the public — and how to achieve conservation goals. For several years now, he has worked to protect the western Joshua tree, and he said its iconic, beloved status helped get a state law passed to protect it. But those protections also extend to the wider ecosystem — such as the yucca moth. "If we had waged a campaign on behalf of the yucca moth, I doubt there would have been as much public attention to it as the Joshua tree. But protecting one, protects the other, and acts as an umbrella to protect entire desert ecosystems," he said. "So there's many pathways to the shared goal of protecting biodiversity, preventing extinction and, more broad-brushed, protecting nature on a landscape scale." Beyond prioritizing plants and animals, the report card also is intended to be a practical resource for the public and policymakers. Kareiva said he envisioned students tapping it for papers as well as using the data to underpin a still-conceptual effort to create biodiversity credits. Others involved with the project said it highlighted the power of long-term monitoring efforts — and the need to keep funding them. The list of species under consideration for the report card was roughly double the current 30, and one way it was narrowed down was whether there were data available, said Jennie Dean, vice president of education and conservation at the Aquarium of the Pacific. One species they were interested in but dropped for this reason was leopard sharks, a striking fish adorned with spots and dark ovals stretched in neat rows across its back. She said "it would be wonderful" if sustained monitoring of the slender sharks happened in the future to shed light on how they're doing. Not doing the monitoring can have consequences. Data points stretched 10 years apart, for example, can leave a gaping knowledge gap. "There's a substantial chance that something significant could happen that you have been too late to the party to address," she said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
