CNDDB News Blog

From moist forest to the dry deserts, California is home to diverse natural beauty. Luckily, the state is also home to numerous trails! This Sunday, November 17th is National Take a Hike Day. Celebrate by hitting the trails and appreciating nature! Who knows what you'll encounter along the way? If you see any CNDDB-tracked plants or animals, be sure to share your findings with us via the Online Field Survey Form.

Presented by: Misty Nelson

CNDDB Lead Scientist Misty Nelson will present an overview of the rich history of the California Natural Diversity Database program, highlighting milestones and accomplishments from the past forty years. She will also examine some of the challenges associated with managing data for the most biodiverse state in the U.S., and will discuss upcoming changes and opportunities to keep the program relevant and regarded for decades to come.

Born and raised in the mountains of western Montana, Misty Nelson spent the first 20 years of her career as an itinerant biologist, working on research projects studying a wide range of species, from small mammals to large whales. She earned her M.S. from the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, where she studied the acoustic behavior of red grouper in the Gulf of Mexico, and spent several years working with the National Park Service on noise and light pollution issues. In 2015, she joined CDFW on a limited-term assignment to lead a large-scale biodiversity and terrestrial drought stressor monitoring project, and has served as the CNDDB Lead Scientist since December 2017.

Date: Monday, November 4th
Time: 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Location: First floor auditorium, 1416 9th Street, Sacramento (and via Skype)
Register to view online or in-person
Questions? Contact: Whitney Albright

Badger at a burrow. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife , via Wikimedia Commons

October 6 marks National Badger Day! Well, technically, this is only an official event in Britain. CNDDB decided the celebration should be extended 120° to the west.

Fuzzy creatures snuggled up in warm burrows? Bumbling traffic hazards? Cunning predators? Yes, Taxidea taxus, the American badger, can be seen as any of these things.

Badgers are found throughout much of North America and are known from every county in California. They are most commonly found in treeless habitats with sandy soil suitable for burrowing. Badgers need large areas for foraging. An individual’s home range may extend over hundreds of acres.

A flexible predator, the badger is most often nocturnal but may also be active in the daytime. While rodents are their primary prey, they also hunt reptiles, birds, and insects. Badgers don't always hunt alone; pairs of badgers and coyotes have been documented cooperating as a hunting party. That’s a tag team of intelligent predators with complementary skill sets.

The American badger is a California Species of Special Concern because habitat conversion has significantly reduced California's badger population. The CNDDB includes over 500 badger occurrences across the state. Since they are most active during dark hours, sadly many of California’s badger records are based on roadkills. While a highway doesn’t provide ideal habitat for a badger, it is still important to document their presence within a landscape. We encourage you to report any badger detections (alive or dead) through our Online Field Survey Form.

Badger with young. National Park Service photo.