A new 0.75‑mile trail across Elephant Hill opens this weekend after years of local advocacy, with public grants and a native‑plant test plot paving the way. The marked route links Pullman/Harriman to Lathrop and aims to curb off‑roading and dumping.

Design and a small Measure A grant are moving the long‑planned Topanga Lagoon restoration closer to construction, with a longer PCH bridge and beach nourishment on the table.

A local stewardship group says Pasadena’s goat‑grazing pilot risks habitat damage without stronger oversight and wants the operation paused pending independent monitoring.

Neighbors in Oak Glen fear a missing mastiff was carried off by a mountain lion after a trail of blood was found; state wildlife officials urge pet owners to secure animals and report sightings.

Volunteer counters at Point Vicente recorded record‑low gray whale and calf numbers last season. NOAA and scientists warn Arctic prey loss and local landslides could prolong the decline.

Surfridge is slowly being rewilded after decades of abandonment; crews planted thousands of natives and cleared acres of invasives to help the El Segundo blue butterfly.

A woman was bitten by a rattlesnake in Palos Verdes Estates; city and wildlife officials are reminding visitors to stay on trails and know what to do if bitten.

Gov. Newsom rolled out State Parks Forward on April 22, proposing three Central Valley parks and a plan to add 30,000 acres to the state park system by 2030.

A viral clip shows a bear charging a hiker on the Mount Wilson Trail; the animal veered off and no injuries were reported. Officials urge caution and preparedness.

Security‑camera footage and family accounts show a mountain lion killed two large dogs in a Yucaipa backyard; CDFW is assessing the incident and offering safety guidance.

A GPS‑collared mountain lion known as P‑122 was shot near Thousand Oaks after preying on sheep. Officials issued an after‑the‑fact depredation permit and the injured cat was euthanized.

A hiker was carried off Montecito’s Buena Vista Trail after a rattlesnake bit her ankle. Officials say warmer weather has drawn snakes out earlier and urge trail preparedness.

A rare neon-green mating display by bioluminescent fireworms briefly lit the water off Long Beach, a moon‑linked spawning ritual caught on video.