Latest news with #WetlandsandWildlifeCareCenter
Los Angeles Times
16-07-2025
- General
- Los Angeles Times
Legally protected nesting birds delayed fire cleanup on 200-plus burned properties
Nearly three months after the Palisades fire burned down our family home on now aptly named Carbon Canyon, I was told on April Fools' Day that a debris removal crew would soon be clearing its charred remains. Thank goodness, the cavalry finally was on its way. But just minutes after a giant excavator toppled our two brick chimneys, a muscle-bound foreman called a halt to the work with a shrill whistle. Workers huddled. Supervisors phoned. One of them pronounced: Work clearing our 77-year-old ranch house must stop. The Army Corps of Engineers wanted to make sure that asbestos in our house's foundation had all been cleared away. That was confirmed within a day or two. All the hazardous material had been bagged and trucked off. But still we waited. Weeks passed without much of an update. It wasn't until June that I learned the main reason for the delay. On a garbled voicemail, I could make out only that it had something to do with 'habitat' and 'stress.' When I made my way to Carbon Canyon, I found a tiny sign posted at the end of our driveway. 'Nesting Bird Buffer,' it read. 'Restricted area. DO NOT ENTER.' Debris cleanup crews keep a lookout for family treasures, mature trees and even the graves of buried pets. They checked all those boxes in the home, where I grew up with my parents, brother and sister and myriad dogs. But I had not realized their work plans also paid special attention to wild birds. An Army Corps contractor explained that they were following the requirements of the Migratory Bird Act of 1918, signed by President Wilson, to stop a massive kill-off of birds beneficial to humankind. The law prohibits 'taking' without a permit not only birds but their nests and eggs too. Environmental observers had fanned out across the burn zones to make sure the cleanup attended to the rules. Our property was one of 216 in the burn zones (80 in the Palisades and Malibu and 136 in Altadena) where cleanups were put at least briefly on hold to try to protect nesting birds and their young. In cases when the homeowners could not afford to wait, bird observers would turn into bird movers. A total of 181 fire rescue birds (including bushtits, acorn wookpeckers and red-shouldered hawks) were recently still in the care of the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach. The work hiatus at our place began after a contractor spotted a pair of mourning doves on our hillside. The doves cleared out in a few days, but then observers spotted at least two pairs of hooded orioles, building nests high up in our heavily scorched palm trees. Of course it was the orioles! Each spring of my semirural eastern Malibu childhood, the orioles would take center stage. While other critters tended to wear the muted colors of the chaparral-choked hillsides, the orioles flew in from their wintering grounds in Mexico sporting a much more rakish look. The females wore elegant yellow feathers, while the males sported bright orange 'hoods' and midnight-black wings. The birds' startling colors seized our attention. And their family life held it. They returned each year to banana trees right beside our swimming pool. On the underside of the banana fronds, they'd weave straw and pine needles into tear-drop-shaped baskets. Nests so finely crafted they could have hung in a gallery. Then, and now, they also constitute a crucial link in the food chain, especially notable for keeping the insect population in check. I hadn't thought about these old neighbors for years, though I visited the old house frequently, until my mom's death about a year ago. Now, they'd delayed us, and others, in getting on with whatever comes next. The response has been more open than you'd expect. 'I lost my home and would happily delay for the short amount of time it would take for these eggs to hatch,' Kelly Jackson, whose home burned down in the Eaton fire, said on social media. She wasn't alone. Most of us around the fire zones have come to realize that it will take much more than concrete, Sheetrock and double-pane windows to restore our communities. In our stretch of the sagebrush, it might take the brilliant, plucky orioles. They are among the grittiest survivors, a reminder of what endures. Kristen Breck says, 'Stinson Beach!!' Jaime Del Carpio says, 'Crystal Cove.' Email us at essentialcalifornia@ and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Today's photo is from Times contributor Ron De Angelis at the workshop of master refinisher Aaron Moore who shares his tips on the 'lost art' of refinishing. Jim Rainey, staff writerDiamy Wang, homepage internIzzy Nunes, audience internHugo Martin, assistant editor for Fast BreakKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorAndrew Campa, Sunday writerKarim Doumar, head of newsletters How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Los Angeles Times
16-04-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Adult pelicans are falling victim to toxic algae bloom. Now their babies are starving, too
Brown Pelicans across Southern California are filling up wildlife rehabilitation centers, either sick or starving — a dual crisis that wildlife experts believe could be linked to a massive toxic algae bloom. For the last month, hundreds of seabirds have been poisoned by domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced in harmful algal blooms that are consumed by filter-feeding fish, such as anchovies and sardines. The small fish aren't affected by the toxins, but many seabirds and marine mammals that feed on these fish are, and the sickness can be deadly. More than 100 area seas lions have been sickened and killed by the toxins over the last few months, along with several dozen dolphins that have died. But more recently, officials have also been responding to an influx of baby pelicans that aren't sick from the toxins — but are struggling to survive because they're extremely malnourished. Officials think the two phenomena are related: as more adult pelicans become sick, disoriented or die, that has left more and more baby pelicans to fend for themselves, leaving their nests prematurely when they don't yet know how to fish. It's just a theory right now, but experts say it would help explain the unprecedented number of starving baby pelicans turning up at wildlife rescue centers. 'It is unusual for us to receive such a high volume of chicks that are this young,' the International Bird Rescue, a global conservation organization that has one of its largest wildlife rescue centers in San Pedro, wrote on its website. 'Many are very young birds, not fully grown, and do not seem to understand how to feed themselves.' 'They are just starving and cold and sad,' said Rebecca Duerr, the center's director of research and veterinary science. At its San Pedro location, specialists were caring for 60 pelican babies as of Tuesday, with more arriving every day, Duerr said. That's in addition to about 50 other birds, many adult pelicans, that have come into the center over the last month because of the domoic acid poisoning. More than half of the birds have since died. 'We keep thinking it's over and then we get more birds,' Duerr said of the influx. There have been other times in recent years when the California brown pelican, a federally protected species, has been found dead or emaciated in high numbers, and other years when large numbers of animals have become sick from domoic acid as the algae bloom is naturally occurring. But the concurrent events this year are especially concerning to officials. Debbie McGuire, the executive director of the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, said she believes runoff from the Los Angeles firestorm likely elevated this year's bloom, as changes to nutrient levels in the ocean can increase the strength and length of the bloom. Officials don't yet know how long this bloom will last. Scientists have also found that human-caused climate change and warming ocean waters can also increase the growth of harmful algae blooms. McGuire said she can't remember a time in the last 20 years when her organization has treated this many birds with domoic acid at one time, noting that it is testing the center's workforce and capacity. 'My staff is burning the midnight oil for a month now,' McGuire said. 'It's hard on them — a lot of compassion and love goes into our work.' As of Tuesday, she said her team is caring for almost 60 brown pelicans, up seven from the day before — and most require intensive care, often including anti-seizure medication, IVs or lessons on how to feed themselves. Still, more than 50% of the pelicans they've taken in over the last month have died, as many birds sickened by domoic acid cannot be saved if the illness has progressed too far. 'If we get them quick enough we can save them, but time is of the essence,' McGuire said. The two centers said people have found the disoriented birds in unexpected and often hazardous locations over the last month, including on the 405 Freeway, on a terminal at LAX and near Amazon warehouses. The birds 'don't know where they are, they get confused, they fly inland,' McGuire said. Both rescue centers are also treating other seabirds ill from domoic acid, including the western grebes, brandt's cormorants and red-throated loons, but brown pelicans have most frequently been sick. Neither location has reached capacity yet, but McGuire said it's a concern if the situation continues at current rates. In a recent post on social media, the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center asked for monetary donations or items on their wishlist to help ensure they can keep providing the care the animals need. The International Bird Rescue also has asked for donations to help it respond to what its called a seabird crisis. 'Stress is high as we care for over 52 pelicans, many of whom are not yet eating on their own, with no clear sign of slowing down soon,' the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center said in its post. Officials warned beachgoers to use extreme caution when approaching any sick or dead animal, including seabirds. If you encounter one, the International Bird Rescue urged people to call the organization's bird helpline at (866) 767-2473. The Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center recommended people to call their local animal control office or find more information online. Times staff writer Summer Lin contributed to this report.
CBS News
15-04-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Sickened brown pelicans overwhelming Orange County animal care center
Wildlife officials are seeking help covering the massive amount of resources necessary to care for more than 600 patients being cared for in Orange County, including more than 50 recently sickened brown pelicans. "Our seabirds are in dire need of help! Domoic acid toxicity is a very serious problem that's leaving our birds in terrible shape," said an Instagram post from the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach. Related: Long Beach teenager recovering after sea lion attack Officials say that many of the birds are unable to eat on their own, which they attribute to a domoic acid outbreak currently impacted much of the marine life off the Southern California coast. Over the last few months there have been an increased amount of incidents related to sick sea lions and other creatures, including two whales that were recently found washed ashore within a week's time, though wildlife officials have not yet revealed if their deaths were related to the outbreak. "Feeling the effects of a very, very large number of intakes, very severe clinical signs and unfortunately a rather low survival rate. Even with treatment," said WWCC Dr. Elizabeth Wood. "It does seem worse than the previous episodes that we've treated." Last year, at around the same time, dozens of sick and starved brown pelicans similarly began to overwhelm wildlife officials. As they continue to try and care for all of the creatures that need their help, WWCC is asking for donations that include towels, flat sheets, toilet paper and some various cleaning and medical care supplies. A full list of items they're seeking can be found on their website .
