Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Be careful out there! A high wind warning is in effect until 4am Wednesday along the Ventura County coast. Northeast winds 30-50 mph with gusts up to 65 mph. Pictured here is a photo taken of our wind-flattened ‘ap (a Chumash dwelling) today at Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa Native American Culture Center in Newbury Park.... -Ranger Ana Beatriz

Discover the remarkable local women of the Santa Monica Mountains who fought for voting rights and overcame great challenges. If you’re a Girl Scout, you can earn a limited-edition 19th Amendment Girl Scout Ranger Patch (through March 31, 2021). To get the patch, watch our program and share with us which individual inspired you the most. You can also use your artistic skills and draw what a day in her life may have looked like. Or, like these trailblazing women, share with us... what YOU can do to help your community. Scouts can also use the Girl Scout Activity Guide to work with their troop leaders to develop other projects to earn the patch. Once you have completed a project, complete the activity log and send it to us. Photograph or scan your drawing and activity log form and email it to [email protected]. Be sure to include your name and mailing address in the email. You can also mail us your drawing and activity log form with your name and address to: Attn: Girl Scout 19th Amendment Centennial Program Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas, CA 91302 Girl Scout Ranger Activity Log: https://bit.ly/3aforDY Girl Scout Ranger Activity Guide: https://bit.ly/3cbfazg

Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. On this #MartinLutherKing Jr. Day, a federal holiday that honors the civil rights leader’s life and legacy, show our wildlife research some love by putting on your community scientist hat and helping us out with our Wil...dlife of Los Angeles Project. This research project documents wildlife in one of the densest and most populated cities in the world and we need your help with tagging the animals. And good news! You don’t need a scientific background or degree, but you do need access to the internet, time, and attention to detail. Log onto Zooniverse (https://www.zooniverse.org//wildlife-of-los/about/research) to access photos from the collection and identify the animals in the photos. The website has plenty of guidance on identification and tagging. We’ve got thousands of critter photos (examples of some in this post) that need to be tagged, so please pull up a chair and help us out! -Ranger Ana Beatriz

You know how sometimes your face unintentionally appears as if you are angry, annoyed or irritated, but you're really not? There's a term for this...hmm... Anyway, imagine how the perennially grumpy-looking Blainville horned lizard must feel! We don't know if these little guys are actually in a bad mood, but they look like it. Are you a curmudegeon? If so, today is YOUR day! We want to wish you a happy #NationalCurmudgeonDay!... In the Santa Monica Mountains, these interesting reptiles can be found near ant hills in open areas of sandy soil and low vegetation. They mainly eat ants, especially harvester ants, but they also consume other small invertebrates such as spiders, beetles, termites, flies, bees, and grasshoppers. This is why they have large flattened stomachs and very short sticky tongues (rather than the long flicking forked tongues of their lizard and snake brethren). Sadly, populations of these lizards have suffered a decline in most of its range due to habitat destruction from human development and agriculture, and the spread of nonnative ants, such as Argentine Ants which displace the native ant food source. They are currently listed as a California Species of Special Concern (California Department of Fish and Wildlife) and are a park species of special concern. **If you see one, please do not handle it! Our biologist, who took the photos, has a scientific collecting permit from CDFW that allows her to handle the lizards. Thank you! NPS: Photos / Sarah Wenner

Raising a child - from infancy through their teenage years - is tough. The same is true with fledgling oak trees, or rather, saplings. Sometimes they need to be "babied" so they can survive their early years. For our valley and coast live oaks, an ongoing drought and the competition for water against invasive plants means many of them don't survive into adulthood. Oak trees can live for hundreds of years! With a new project, we're doing what we can to nurture these baby oaks ...and "give them a fighting chance," according to nursery (for plants, not kids) manager Antonio Sanchez. Since last summer, crews have worked to identify oak saplings already growing in the park, but perhaps struggling to survive against adverse conditions. The area around each sapling is weeded, mulched and watered. "They are in their infancy right now so we need to get them into the toddler stage so they could start being more resilient. All we want to do is make sure they get past this critical phase," Sanchez said. Aww... Ranger Ana Beatriz

New year, new cat! Welcome to our puma family - P-95! This young male mountain lion was captured in the central Santa Monica Mountains on January 16. He was found to be in good condition, is estimated to be about a year and a half old and weighed 90 lbs. at the time of his capture. While biologists were conducting the welfare check, "chirping" was heard nearby and another cat was later spotted. Biologists believe P-95 is likely still traveling with a sibling or its mother.... P-95 received a full welfare check, which means blood, tissue, and other biological samples were collected from him. His overall health was assessed - from the bottom of his paws to the teeth in his head. A GPS radio-collar was also placed on him. Currently, there are 10 radio-collared mountain lions being tracked by NPS scientists. Seven of these are in the Santa Monica Mountains, two in the Simi Hills and one in Griffith Park. The first capture took place in 2002. Since that time, we have been studying mountain lions in and around the Santa Monica Mountains to determine how they survive in a fragmented and urbanized environment. Photo: NPS / Jeff Sikich

Did you miss out on making a resolution last year or did you already forget what it even was? If that’s the case, consider recreating outside more this year. Throughout the year, we will help you #PlotYourPath. We’ll share ideas for hiking trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. Here’s our first one - the Wendy Trail. It’s short, sweet and perfect for families with kids, dogs on a leash and trail runners. It’s also popular with equestrians and mountain bikers on their way to lo...nger trails. The 1.7 mile loop trail in Newbury Park offers beautiful views of iconic Boney Mountain and in the spring, you’ll find wildflowers. There’s a short climb at the beginning of the trail, but it’s fairly doable even for the younger kiddos. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can easily extend the hike and connect with other trails. We want to hear from you! What hikes do you recommend? Photos: NPS / Ana Beatriz Cholo

It’s been a challenging two years since the Woolsey Fire swept through the Santa Monica Mountains where we have been trying to re-introduce the California red-legged frog. The species is listed as federally threatened under the Endangered Species Act and has not been found in the Santa Monica Mountains since the 1970s. The goal of the project is to reintroduce the beleaguered amphibian back into the Santa Monica Mountains by translocating egg masses from a nearby source po...pulation of California red-legged frogs. Our biologists report that in one of the four translocation sites, breeding activity is back to pre-fire numbers. That's great news! Sadly, the other three reintroduction sites remain heavily silted from mudslides that occurred when it rained post-fire and there is no suitable breeding habitat for the frogs. Last fall, we found adult frogs at all sites that had survived the fire and silt. These frogs are more resilient than we expected! In 2020, however, the frogs were much harder to find. The vegetation is thick and there are few good pools for the frogs to hang out in. We will try to find them again when we conduct more night surveys in a couple of months. Also, unlike in past years, the decision was made to not transfer egg masses or release any tadpoles into any of the reintroduction streams this year because the streams were in such a sad state. So, all frog lovers out there, cross your fingers and send positive thoughts that we will get a few good storms this winter to scour out some pools and help the habitat recover. If that happens, then we hope to move eggs from our source population in March. #2021GoodVibes -Ranger Ana Beatriz

Did you know we have our own native plant nursery here at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area? And have you ever wondered what it takes to create a perfect garden? Join Antonio Sanchez as he breaks it down during his reading of "Badger's Perfect Garden" during Reading with a Ranger. Antonio knows his stuff! He works for our friend’s group, the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, and he has over 15 years of experience growing native plants in nurseries and landscapes. You won’t want to miss this reading!

November is Native American Heritage Month (NAHM), also known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. It is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse ancestry, cultures, traditions, and histories of America's indigenousness people. This year’s theme, Resilient and Enduring: We Are Native People, reflects the determination and courage that Native American Communities continue to exhibit, sustaining the vibrant diversity, cultures, traditions, and accomplishments ...of America’s first people. In honor of the Native peoples in the United States of America, we would like to share some amazing programs led by local Native Americans. Join Chumash Elders Dennis & Ted Garcia as they share with us about their history, culture, and traditions, along with two different stories and songs. One is about Muhu the owl and the second about the Sun. - Ranger Aaron

Our trails are open and speaking of, did you hear the joke about the owl, coyote (yeah, we know that image is of a wolf, but just pretend it's a coyote, mkay?) and raccoon hanging around a trailhead in the Santa Monica Mountains? These critters were wearing masks, standing at least six feet apart and nicely telling the visitors wearing masks to go take a hike! Can you believe these silly animals? You gotta love California! ... -Ranger Ana Beatriz

Shoutout to our interns! Despite the pandemic, they've been working hard in every division here at the park. Today, we're highlighting SAMO Youth - a National Park Service internship program that began in 2000 here in the Santa Monica Mountains. This program has given hundreds of youth in Los Angeles & Oxnard an opportunity to work and learn about environmental careers. Typically, during the summer season, these college bound participants work for 8 weeks on habitat restorat...ion, trail maintenance, plant and wildlife work, and scientific surveys. It’s a full-time position with 8-hr days and a one week work trip to Channel Islands National Park. Pre-pandemic, the work also included engaging with members of the public, greeting them, answering questions and leading community groups on nature activities. This year, things are slightly different. This time, the cohort is made up entirely of college-age interns and they are working with us for a period of six months. Here’s a snapshot of what some of these amazing interns are doing. Marycruz Flores is a park guide and education intern. She is working on building her interpretation skills while creating innovative programs for rangers to use in the future. One of her current projects includes creating an art piece of how the LA River looked like in the past. Kalli Martinez is the Nature Neighbor intern and she has spent the last few months conducting squirrel surveys. Kalli is also always on the lookout for feathers and pellets evidence of owls and other raptors in the area. Emily Orsborn’s work will someday benefit park visitors. The GIS technician intern is working on a trailhead project that involves making maps easier to read. This also involves combining maps and media in order to construct a narrative. If you’ve watched any of our virtual programs, it’s likely that Anna Flores, the Spanish communications assistant, has been behind the camera for some of them. She has been instrumental in drafting social media posts, taking photos and helping out with various communications projects around the park. -Ranger Ana Beatriz

What comes to mind when you think of the term pack rat? For many, that might be an individual who collects and stores a lot of stuff. However, that term comes from a distinctive rodent known as a woodrat, who not only has a tendency to collect random items but is also a very talented architect with an interesting home life. Join Ranger Aaron as he takes you inside the home and life of one of Santa Monica Mountains’ unique animals.

When most people think of October, they envision spooky critters and ghoulish goblins, but not Ranger Luis. He thinks of bats! Join Ranger Luis as he talks bats during International Bat Week. He will explain how vital bats are to our ecosystem and around the world. We only scratch the surface of all there is to learn, but we hope this will inspire you to show some love to our bat friends! For instance, did you know that bats help control the insect population? That might save you from a mosquito bite or two! And did you know we have bats in the Santa Monica Mountains? Yes, we know of 11 species here! That's pretty cool!

November is Native American Heritage Month. Join us for a special Reading with a Ranger on Sunday, November 29th at 10 a.m. Our special guest Tate, a member of the Lakota and Tongva tribes, will be reading "We Are Water Protectors." We will learn how water affects and connects us all!

UPDATE 10/28/2020: Solstice Canyon has been re-opened, but one trail is still closed due to a large oak tree blocking it. Thanks to our hardworking trail crews for clearing the site. . . Solstice Canyon is temporarily closed until further notice due to extremely high winds and fallen hazard trees. ... -Ranger Ana Beatriz

While Halloween is just around the corner our night-dwelling creatures are not waiting! The owls and bats are hunting, the spiders are crawling, and the scorpions are lurking! In fact, many of them have been out every single night! Check out this nighttime hike as we go exploring scorpions in the park! Want more? We have a whole archive of programs and activities in our video section here: https://www.facebook.com/santamonicamtns/videos/ -Ranger Aaron

We're nearing the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, but before we go, please join us for a "Conversation with the Latinx Women of the Santa Monica Mountains." Join NPS park rangers Iliana Espinoza, Razsa Cruz, Xochitl Lopez and Ana Beatriz Cholo as they answer questions about their background, describe some of their experiences with the outdoors and the various career opportunities the National Park Service offers. This special virtual event was created in collaboration with El... Pueblo Historical Monument and the City of Los Angeles. It will be moderated by Michelle Garcia-Ortiz of El Pueblo. If you have any questions for the panelists, please be sure to send them to us in the comments!

UPDATE: Researchers say the mountain lion in the tree on Barragan Street was P-77, a female mountain lion captured and collared last year by NPS biologists. Recent points from her GPS radio collar show she has since moved on from the neighborhood and is no longer in Agoura Hills. ........ This mountain lion is very likely scared and stressed out by the loud noises, hovering helicopter and overall commotion going on in the area. ... We encourage nearby residents to keep pets indoors overnight (especially barking dogs) so this big cat can safely move on to nearby open space. -Ranger Ana Beatriz

Los Angeles County firefighters, along with Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Fire Engine 73 and other agencies, responded to two spot brush fires near Bluffs Park in Malibu late this afternoon. The fire is fully contained. There were no injuries and the cause is unknown. The fires are under investigation. -Ranger Ana Beatriz

Join the National Park Service as we participate in the biggest virtual party of the year next weekend at the P-22 Day International Urban Wildlife Festival 2020! On Oct. 24, we will be showcasing our decades of wildlife research with videos and photos at this National Wildlife Federation-sponsored event. You must register to reserve your spot at www.p22wonderland.org. Sign up and don't forget to check out the video below created by P22 Mountain Lion of Hollywood. ... -Ranger Ana Beatriz

Feliz Hispanic Heritage Month! The last couple of weeks, we’ve been highlighting some of our Latinx park rangers and next week, we’re hosting a special virtual event in collaboration with El Pueblo de Los Angeles and the City of Los Angeles to celebrate. Join us for a "Conversation with the Latinx Women of Santa Monica Mountains" on Thursday, Oct. 15 at 5 p.m. on Facebook. For instance, you will learn more about Iliana Espinoza (pictured here) and how she got into the Nation...al Park Service as a college student. Her love for the outdoors began as a kid when she would go on weekly hikes to parks in Los Angeles with her parents. These experiences inspired her to find a job in the outdoors. In 2015, Iliana hiked the entire Backbone Trail, a 67-mile thru-hike located in the Santa Monica Mountains. While completing the hike, she began to truly understand the importance of protecting this land. She also gained valuable outdoor skills and a passion for the local flora. Since then, she hikes every spring to learn more about wildflowers. I love to share my love for the outdoors and wildflowers with my community and I do that every chance I get. I know that not everyone can just easily head out to a national park. I believe that we can all enjoy nature closer to home. Photo: Anna Flores -Ranger Ana Beatriz

The California Newt is the largest native salamander species in the Santa Monica Mountains. Like most amphibians, newts spend part of their life history in the water (winter and spring) and the other part on land (summer and fall). The California Newt is a stocky, medium-sized salamander with rough, grainy skin. Adults can vary in length from 2-3 inches (snout to vent) and vary in color from yellowish-brown, reddish brown and dark brown above, pale yellow to orange below. ...Adults are toxic! Their skin secretes a potent neurotoxin tetrodoxin, the same toxin found in pufferfishes and harlequin frogs. This salamander is endemic (meaning it lives nowhere else in the world) to California. This little critter was found on the Grotto Trail, September 2020. -Ranger Ana Beatriz