by RCA | Aug 21, 2023 | MSHCP, Species
Species Spotlight: The Bald Eagle, More Than a Symbol For most of the 20th century, the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) lived under a perpetual threat of extinction. Habitat destruction, illegal shooting, and insecticides had decimated the bald eagle population...
by RCA | Jul 28, 2023 | MSHCP, Species
The Rare Munz’s Mariposa Lily Gets the Spotlight It is hard to share the spotlight with a close relative, but this month we are giving all our attention to the unique and rare Munz’s mariposa lily (Calochortus palmeri var. munzii), a close relative of Palmer’s...
by RCA | Jun 28, 2023 | MSHCP, Species
The Resilient Coast Range Newt: Adapted for Fire and Survival A pair of coast range newts (Taricha tarosa tarosa) prepared themselves as the heat from the approaching fire intensified. Within seconds, their slimy skin secreted a foamy substance, forming a protective...
by RCA | May 10, 2023 | MSHCP, Species
Species Spotlight: Long-Tailed Weasel is Cute but Ferocious Don’t let the cute face fool you…the long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) is feisty and fierce, feeding mainly on voles, mice, rats, gophers, and squirrels, and fearless in attacking prey many times its size....
by RCA | Apr 13, 2023 | MSHCP, Species
Species Spotlight: Jaeger’s Milkvetch Named After Local Biologist The Jaeger’s milkvetch (Astragalus pachypus var. jaegeri) is one of 28 plant species and subspecies named for biologist, educator, and environmentalist Edmund Carroll Jaeger, who made his mark on...
by RCA | Mar 8, 2023 | MSHCP, Species
The San Jacinto Valley Crownscale Shows Off Its Crown in Western Riverside County For most, the San Jacinto Valley crownscale will not be named “most beautiful plant” or draw crowds like other native plants. However, this unique plant has several features that would...
