CNDDB News Blog

Photo credit: Rachel Powell 

May 22nd is the International Day for Biological Diversity, and the theme this year is “Our Solutions are in Nature.”

The California Floristic Province is one of 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world, due to its unique climate and geologic history, high numbers of native and endemic species, and severe loss of natural vegetation. There are over 5500 plant species native to California, and 40% of these are endemic—they are found nowhere else in the world. California is also home to almost 40 million people, and some of the most densely populated regions of the state are also centers of high biodiversity.

Biological diversity contributes to many important ecosystem services, such as pollination, water filtration, carbon sequestration, and recreation. Diverse ecosystems are also more resilient and will likely play important roles in our efforts to mitigate and adapt to a changing climate.

Here at the California Natural Diversity Database, we strive to provide the best available data on rare and sensitive species in order to help preserve California’s rich biodiversity. To learn more about the California Biodiversity Initiative and other ways that the department is working to promote biodiversity, visit the CDFW Biodiversity web page.

May 15th marks the 15th annual Endangered Species Day. Today is all about learning the importance of protecting endangered species and everyday actions that can be taken to help protect them. With nearly 300 federally listed endangered and threatened plants and animals in the state, California is a hot spot for rare species, second only to Hawaii in the number of federally listed species.

While many species still hover on the brink of extinction, it is important to celebrate the victories that have occurred, and that would not have been possible without the Endangered Species Act. Perhaps the most iconic endangered species in California is the California condor. In the late 1980s, fewer than 30 birds were left in the world and a captive breeding was implemented. Today there are over 450 condors thanks in large part to the research and resources that were devoted to helping this species recover once it was placed on the Endangered Species List. Keeping species from becoming extinct is what the Endangered Species List is all about. The California condor is just one example of what can be achieved once a species becomes classified as an endangered species. Endangered Species Day is a great way to acknowledge the successes in preventing extinctions that have occurred due to the Endangered Species Act and to remember that there are hundreds of species in California that need our help to survive.

For additional information on Endangered Species Day and actions you can take to help protect endangered and threatened species, please see the Endangered Species Coalition website.

Sir David Attenborough sitting by the Great Barrier Reef. 
Courtesy of Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website (CC BY 3.0 AU) via Wikimedia Commons

94 years ago today, one of the most inspiring natural history figures was born. Sir David Attenborough was born in Middlesex, England on May 8th, 1926. During his childhood, he collected fossils and natural specimens that were admired by his young peers. The passion and curiosity David discovered for the natural world would propel an impressive and inspiring broadcasting career. After earning a degree in natural sciences from Clare College in Cambridge in 1945, David went on to serve in the Royal Navy where he was stationed in North Wales for two years. An extensive filmography and list of published books ranging from the early 1950s to 2019 has earned David many accolades, including 32 honorary degrees, the 2005 Nierenberg Prize for Science in the Public Interest, the 2015 Individual Peabody Award, and several Primetime Emmy awards. In addition to these, he has had over 20 plant and animal species names after him including Attenborough’s Pintail (Acisoma attenboroughi), alpine hawkweed (Hieracium attenboroughianum), and a species of echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi). He may be most known for his narration and presenting for 1979’s Life on Earth, Planet Earth, and The Blue Planet natural documentary series. David’s soothing voice has been capturing the curiosity of people around the world for decades and has given us an amazing look inside the natural world we would otherwise not know without him. These documentaries have inspired many of us to make a living of preserving these amazing species as well as the lands they call home. It is no wonder that Sir David Attenborough is known as a UK national treasure as well as a world treasure. So, Happy Birthday to this incredibly influential, respected, and endearing natural historian! We leave you inspired as Sir David often does with this powerful quote from the man himself, “It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much life that makes life worth living.”