PESCADERO, Calif. (AP) — Every winter about 10,000elephant sealsmake their way to California’s Año Nuevo State Park to fight, mate and give birth. The spectacle runs from mid-December through March, drawing wildlife watchers eager for a glimpse of the largest seals on the planet.
During what park docent Laura Stern called “pupping season,” bull seals — some reaching up to 16 feet (4.9 meters) in length and weighing up to 2.5 tons — engage in bloody battles for breeding access to the females.
“So most elephant seals come back to the same beach where they were born. They don’t all, but most of them do,” Stern said. “And we have about 10,000 elephant seals that come to Año Nuevo.”
Elephant seals were hunted nearly to extinction in the 1800s, sought out for their blubber, which was used to make oil. In 1892, fewer than 100 of the animals remained on a small island off the coast of Baja California.
Recognizing the crisis, the Mexican government extended legal protection to the species in 1922, followed shortly by protection in the United States. Today the population has grown to an estimated 250,000 seals living in the Pacific.
(Link to a lot of information about this amazing project)
A groundbreaking conservation initiative is nearing completion in Southern California. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing,the world’s largest wildlife bridge over a freeway, is almost ready to welcome animals, and now the public can get a rare preview before it officially opens.
Currently under construction in Agoura Hills, California, the massive crossing spans 10 lanes of the 101 Freeway, reconnecting a critical wildlife corridor in the Santa Monica Mountains that has been fragmented for decades by development. The wildlife crossing is expected to open in late 2026, at which point the bridge will connect wildlife habitat on both sides of the 101 Freeway, allowing animals to safely move between once-isolated landscapes.
The crossing aims to prevent local mountain lion extinction by enabling safe passage across the freeway and restoring genetic diversity between isolated populations. Beyond cougars, the project is designed to benefit a wide range of species, including bobcats, deer, reptiles, birds, and pollinators.
To celebrate this monumental project, free, expert-led tours are now available, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the crossing while it is still under construction. Knowledgeable guides explain how the bridge was designed, how it will function as a natural landscape over the 101 freeway, and how it will safely guide animals across one of the busiest highways in the country.
During the approximately 50-minute tour, guests will:
View the wildlife crossing from designated observation areas
Learn about local species such as mountain lions, bobcats, deer, and other wildlife affected by habitat fragmentation
Hear about ongoing habitat restoration efforts that will transform the bridge into a thriving ecosystem
Gain insight into the science and engineering behind this vital conservation project
Visitors are advised to wear sneakers or hiking boots. In the event of rain, tours will be rescheduled.
Tour Details & Reservations:
Location: Agoura Hills, California
Cost: Free
Reservation Required: Limited availability; only two adults per reservation
Upcoming Dates: January 17, 18, 24, 25, and 31
Weather Note: Rain will result in rescheduling
Reservations and additional information are available HERE!
Across the country, shelters and rescues are facing an overwhelming crisis. While many are aware of the tragic plight of shelter dogs and cats, a less visible but equally dire emergency is affecting another species: pigs. Each year, thousands of pigs, especially potbellied and so-called “mini pigs,” are abandoned, hoarded, bred uncontrollably, or seized in cruelty cases. As the rescue community struggles to keep up, many pigs are falling through the cracks, often landing in high-kill shelters with no escape and no one to save them from this heartbreaking fate.
California is currently at a tipping point, with over 100 pigs facing perilous circumstances as several cruelty cases emerge statewide. In Lucerne Valley, authorities seized 63 potbellied pigs from a neglectful environment, with seven piglets born shortly after arriving at the shelter. Prior to the animal control intervention, rescuers had already removed a few others. These pigs were malnourished, many were pregnant, and all were in urgent need of care. As conditions worsened and the owner refused further intervention, rescuers contacted authorities, resulting in the pigs being placed in a high-kill shelter with limited time and resources to save them.
Against all odds, rescuers with Snouts of Sedona and Wilbur’s Hammie Haven, have managed a miraculous feat over the past few weeks. A dedicated team of sanctuary founders and volunteers successfully relocated 32 pigs to safety, in addition to the original eight rescued prior to the seizure. One of the most heartbreaking moments unfolded when a mother sow rejected her newborn piglets. This prompted an urgent rescue by a partner sanctuary, which is now providing round-the-clock care and pan feeding for the vulnerable young ones.
Rescued pigs at Snouts of Sedona
Unfortunately, the rescue groups have exhausted their financial resources, even using their personal funds to cover emergency transport costs. Because they are small organizations, they are not equipped with staff, leaving them to work long hours to care for the pigs they’ve rescued. There are still an estimated 26 pigs remaining at the Devore Animal Shelter from the Lucerne Valley case, and time is quickly running out.
Meanwhile, the second major case in Lucerne Valley is growing more dire by the day. On a remote desert property with no shelter or infrastructure, over 40 large farm pigs were left in sweltering heat, often without food or water. Despite over two dozen visits from animal control and mounting reports from neighbors, the pigs have not been removed. Tragically, a recent visit by a concerned citizen revealed that only 17 pigs remain. There is fear that the rest were sold for meat. Rescuers are clinging to the hope that some may have escaped.
Elsewhere in California, the situation remains dire. A potbellied pig cruelty case that was initially slated for the Devore shelter in San Bernardino has inexplicably come to a halt. The Bakersfield shelter recently reached out to rescuers regarding an imminent seizure of at least 50 pigs suffering from malnutrition on yet another neglected property. Initial photographs depicted skeletal pigs struggling to survive amidst dilapidated fencing. Thankfully, due to another rescue coming forward, now only 15 pigs remain at the shelter.
This issue isn’t just happening in isolated pockets; it’s widespread. Recently, Snouts of Sedona rescued several abandoned pigs. Among them was Billy, found alone on a property where a house had burned down in Rimrock. The organization also took in a mother Kune Kune pig named Hakuna, and her baby, Matata, discovered wandering at the foot of the mountains in Cottonwood. Just last night, as dusk fell, they managed to rescue the father of the pair.
The situation has taken a dire turn as one rescue organization is closing its doors this week due to the founder’s diagnosis of a terminal illness. The urgency for securing homes for the pigs, as well as financial support, has never been greater.
The rescue community isn’t giving up, but they are at a breaking point. The problem extends beyond the pigs themselves. Despite repeated cruelty reports, few neglect cases lead to prosecution. Even when animals are seized, the individuals responsible often continue to breed or hoard with few consequences. Advocates are urgently calling for legal reforms to break this cycle, starting with lifetime animal bans for repeat offenders and stronger enforcement of animal welfare laws.
What’s Needed Today:
Foster homes, adopters, emergency medical funding, and public awareness are the lifelines these pigs need. Every pig adopted from a sanctuary opens space for another in danger. Every dollar donated helps prevent an already-overwhelmed system from collapsing under the weight of constant crisis.
How You Can Help:
1. ADOPT OR FOSTER A PIG
Organizations such as Snouts of Sedona, Wilbur’s Hammie Haven in Norco, and others throughout California are seeking loving homes for their pigs. These animals are often already spayed or neutered, healthy, and well-socialized, making them ready to join new families.
2. DONATE TO SPAY/NEUTER FUNDS
Each surgery costs hundreds to thousands of dollars, with neuters ranging from $400 to $1,000 and spays up to $2,000. With numerous pregnant pigs, preventing further litters is crucial.
Even offering a temporary space for one pig or driving them to safety can save a life.
4. SUPPORT LEGAL REFORM
Contact your local representatives to advocate for:
• Stronger penalties for repeat animal abuse offenders
• Mandatory spay/neuter before shelter release
• A ban on unregulated backyard breeding of pigs
5. SHARE THIS STORY
Awareness is a powerful tool. Many people are unaware of this crisis, and by increasing awareness, we can garner more support to address this ongoing issue.
Undercover investigation inside a Foster Farms hatchery
Animal Equality exposed shocking violations of California’s animal cruelty laws at a Foster Farms chicken hatchery in Waterford, California. The facility sells newborn chicks to factory farms, which West Coast grocery stores, including Walmart, Costco, Kroger, Target, and Chick-fil-A,
Baby birds crushed, drowned, and mutilated
At the hatchery, live chicks were mutilated by fast-moving machinery and then left for hours until they were dumped into a chute where they would be ground up alive.
Hours-old chicks were discovered with their bodies ripped open, exposing internal organs, and found caught or crushed by the mechanized processing equipment. Chicks that were trapped in dirty trays drowned in scalding water in the company’s washing machine.
Animal Equality’s investigator documented chicks scalded to death after being trapped in trays going through the washing machine, which uses hot, high-pressure water.
Seeking Justice
In a letter dated December 2, 2021, Animal Equality presented its findings to the offices of District Attorney Brigit Fladager and Sheriff Jeff Dirkse. The letter, which was accompanied by extensive undercover video footage, detailed how the company routinely subjects the baby chicks to needless suffering, injury, and death. It also demonstrates that chicks are left to languish without proper care and attention after injury.
Animal Equality asserts that the acts and practices documented at the Foster Farms hatchery constitute “cruelty to animals” and “failure to care for animals” under California Penal Code sections 597(b) and 597.1(a)(1), respectively. These laws prohibit a broad range of cruel conduct, but most relevant is the prohibition on torture, torment, mutilation, cruel killing, and any other act or omission that “subjects any animal to needless suffering.”
Foster Farms’ operation of its hatchery reflects a complete disregard for the lives of the individual chicks. Preventable death, injury, and suffering were the result and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.
.webp)
.webp)
.jpg)
