CNDDB News Blog

Our barred owl datasets have been updated!

Barred Owl Observations by PLSS Section (ds2873) is available to view and to download in the BIOS Viewer. This layer summarizes the information contained in the Barred Owl Observations Database and allows users to see PLSS sections containing barred owl detections as well as the first and last years owls were reported in those sections.

Barred Owl Observations [ds8] is available in the BIOS Viewer for CNDDB subscribers. The barred owl database includes barred owl (Strix varia), Strix hybrid, and unknown Strix detections. This dataset is only available to CNDDB subscribers because it contains references to sensitive spotted owl locations. For a copy of the geodatabase or for site-specific inquiries, contact the database manager at owlobs@wildlife.ca.gov.

Due to the varied nature of barred owl surveys, detections, and reporting in the state, these datasets may not fully represent the historical and current distribution of barred owls in California.

For more information on barred owls in California, check out CDFW’s Barred Owl Threat web page.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will be conducting a status review for the Temblor legless lizard (Anniella alexanderae) to inform the California Fish and Game Commission's decision on whether to list the species under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). More details about the listing proposal and CDFW's request for public comments may be found in our CDFW newsletter. As part of this process, the CNDDB would like to encourage anyone who has observed Temblor legless lizards to submit their findings to us. People who have questions or comments about the review process should email our Wildlife Branch. The deadline for both data submission and comments is October 1, 2022 to allow us sufficient time for evaluation.

The Temblor legless lizard is a unique, limbless lizard endemic to the alkali desert scrub and annual grasslands of the southwestern San Joaquin Valley, east of the Temblor mountains at 168-466m (551-1,529 ft.) elevation. This fossorial (burrowing) and crepuscular (active at dawn and dusk) species uses the ground surface, soil, and leaf litter for feeding and mating. Temblor legless lizards eat larval insects, adult beetles, termites, and spiders. Threats include habitat loss due to oil and gas development, urbanization, agriculture, and industrial solar projects, climate change, and invasive species. Habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation can restrict the species’ ability to feed, burrow, and reproduce.

As of July 1, 2022, the Temblor legless lizard is considered a candidate species under CESA and will therefore receive the same legal protection afforded to an endangered or threatened species. Take of this species is prohibited without an appropriate permit for scientific, educational or management purposes. For more information on permitting, visit our CESA permits web page.

We need your help in better understanding the status of the Temblor legless lizard. If you have ever seen them in the wild, submit your findings to us through our Online Field Survey Form. Together, we can help the Fish and Game Commission make an informed decision on the listing proposal for the Temblor legless lizard.

The CNDDB program is embarking on a robust process to assess functionality of the CNDDB system, tools and products, with the end goal of making our system more relevant and current. As the entity that houses data on California’s rare plants and animals, the CNDDB program is one of the largest of its kind in the nation. CNDDB staff use rigorous methodology to provide users with accurate data. However, we realize there is always room for improvement. The CNDDB Program would like to invite our external partners and subscribers to participate in this assessment effort. A short survey will be sent out tomorrow, July 21, to external partners and subscribers. The survey results will help us assess processes and functionality. If you receive this email, we would very much appreciate you providing us your thoughts. If you don't receive the email and would like to provide input, please email us. The deadline for the survey is August 12, 2022. We are looking forward to seeing your input!