Establishing historical species distributions can assist conservation translocations for threatened species, and yet, ecological changes necessitate developing restoration targets that are not analogous to historical baselines. Despite its recent conservation translocation to Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada Mountains, USA, the historical distribution of the federally threatened California Red-legged Frog (Rana draytonii) in the valley remains unclear. Using archival records, interviews, and museum specimens, we examined the historical evidence for California Red-legged Frogs and sympatric amphibian species in the Yosemite region. We found a paucity of reliable amphibian records for Yosemite Valley since the 19th century, one of the most-visited sites in the US National Park System, and conclude that this is the result of historically low collecting and survey effort prior to the introduction of invasive American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus; also Rana catesbeiana after Yuan and others 2016) in concert with a bird and mammal study bias from largely diurnal collecting that occurred when California Red-legged Frogs were extant regionally. We found previously undocumented records for individuals of the genus Rana for Yosemite Valley, consistent with a dominant historical hydrology more compatible for Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs (Rana boylii), though none could be definitively identified as California Red-legged Frogs. We conclude that extensive anthropogenic impacts, including acute ecosystem alteration and American Bullfrog introduction, contributed to the failure to detect California Red-legged Frogs in many places regionally once amphibians became a research priority in the latter 20th century. The conservation translocation of California Red-legged Frogs to Yosemite Valley illustrates the integration of historical baselines with contemporary realities, allowing for the complexities of change over time rather than focusing on restoration to an imagined, ideal environment in the past.

Population studies of diminutive species often present unique challenges associated with methods of identifying individuals in a manner that can be reliable and retained over long periods of time. Small snakes present even more difficulties, as many marking methods rely on the use of either invasive implantation of devices, such as passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, or through mutilation such as branding or scale clipping. Here I present an alternative method by utilizing a flatbed scanner to obtain consistent images of sufficient quality for use in photographic identification of the Common Sharp-tailed Snake (Contia tenuis) using the unique individual pigmentation patterns on the venter of the head. Additionally, I show that HotSpotter© software consistently scored image pairs of known and assessed matches higher than between pairs of known and assessed mismatches using the flatbed scanner imagery. This method provides a repeatable, reliable, non-invasive, and non-mutilating alternative to more traditional methods of identifying individual snakes.

Between 2007 and 2021 we monitored adult hawks (Buteo spp.) nesting in the upper Columbia River Basin of Washington and Oregon using global positioning system (GPS) telemetry on 17 Ferruginous Hawks (B. regalis), 9 Red-tailed Hawks (B. jamaicensis), and 14 Swainson's Hawks (B. swainsoni). Our main objectives were to: (1) provide contemporary home-range estimates using fixes generated by the global positioning system to better inform protective buffers on Buteo ranges in the Columbia River Basin; and (2) describe prey analyzed from pellets collected at 47 Buteo territories. Breeding home ranges (Brownian bridge movement model, 95% isopleths) of Ferruginous Hawks (B. regalis) were substantially larger (x̄ = 378, s_x = 133 km²) than those published previously, as were home ranges of Swainson's Hawks (x̄ = 276, s_x = 146 km²) and Red-tailed Hawks (x̄ = 28, s_x = 12 km²). Diets of Ferruginous Hawks on the study area were dominated (60%) by Northern Pocket Gophers (Thomomys talpoides), whereas Swainson's Hawks primarily (83%) ate grasshoppers (Apote notablis and Melanoplus spp.). Red-tailed Hawks ate a less-specialized diet of reptiles (40%), mammals (38%), and birds (13%). We provide models that show the probable degree of protection afforded by different-sized buffers when applied to species-specific home ranges and core areas for hawks in the Columbia River Basin.

As animal populations approach environmental carrying capacity, competition for food increases, generally leading to decreased individual energy intake rate. Energy-intake rate can therefore be used as one metric of population status relative to carrying capacity. Focal observations of Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris) foraging behavior have been used throughout their range to estimate energy-intake rates and infer population status. In Washington State, previous research has demonstrated that handling times for Kelp Crabs (Pugettia spp.) by Sea Otters are 1.5 to 2 times faster than those observed in California and British Columbia, resulting in higher energy-intake rate estimates for Sea Otters in Washington. We investigated potential causes for the difference in handling time by: (1) comparing Sea Otter handling times of Kelp Crab and non-Kelp Crab prey items in Washington, California, and British Columbia; (2) comparing the handling times of Kelp Crabs by a subset of Sea Otters in California, which are Kelp Crab specialists (2003–2012, n = 244 Kelp Crab captures) to those of Sea Otters in Washington (2015–2018, n = 541 captures) and British Columbia (2013–2017, n = 359 captures); and (3) comparing the biomass-to-width ratios of Kelp Crabs from Washington and California. We did not observe consistent differences between regions in Sea Otter handling times of non-Kelp Crab prey. Mean Sea Otter handling time of small Kelp Crabs (carapace ≤1 Sea Otter paw width) in Washington (32.7 s) was significantly faster than in British Columbia (52.0 s, P < 0.0001) and all of California (40.6 s, P < 0.0001), but was not significantly different from that of Kelp Crab-specialist Sea Otters in California (31.7 s, P = 0.313). Mean Sea Otter handling time of large Kelp Crabs (≥1 Sea Otter paw) in Washington (64.7 s) was significantly faster than in British Columbia (87.7 s, P= 0.003), in all of California (104 s, P < 0.0001), and in the subset of Kelp Crab-specialist Sea Otters in California (91.6 s, P = 0.007). Kelp Crabs in Washington had a larger biomass-to-width ratio than Kelp Crabs in California: in Washington, a Kelp Crab with a 20-mm maximum carapace width had a 3.8% greater predicted biomass than a Kelp Crab in California of the same width, and a 27.1% greater biomass for a 60-mm carapace. Our results suggest that Sea Otters in Washington are Kelp Crab specialists with behavioral differences allowing them to consume Kelp Crabs faster, a difference that may affect the inference of Sea Otter population status from energy-intake rates in Washington.

Albinism is a chromatic disorder that inhibits melanin production and is rarely observed in natural populations, with occurrences often limited to only single individuals. Here, we report on the 1st documented case of multiple leucism in Coastal Tailed Frog (Ascaphus truei) tadpoles observed in a small stream in British Columbia, Canada. During intensive surveys of 21 streams in 2021, we captured 3 leucistic tadpoles (0.10% of all tadpoles captured) at the same site. Leucistic tadpoles lacked pigmentation on all body surfaces but possessed black eyes. Relative to individuals with typical coloration, leucistic tadpoles may be rarely observed due to higher mortality rates and delayed time to metamorphosis, but the effect of leucism on fitness is poorly understood.

Western Painted Turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii) are 1 of only 2 native turtles in the Pacific Northwest. In October 2021, we recaptured an adult male 21 y after it was initially marked. In 2000, it had at least 9 annuli, indicating an age of at least 30 y in 2021. This approximates only half the maximum known age for the larger C. picta species complex east of the continental divide (61 y). Further, in 2000, this adult male was 37–43 mm larger than the largest or oldest males recorded from eastern populations of C. p. bellii, which suggests that fundamental differences may exist in growth between eastern and western populations that may reflect different age-size relationships. These relationships, along with longevity data, are foundational to conservation that seeks to understand demography and survival in western populations. Study of eastern populations shows that determination of age limits may span decades, so collaboration for data-sharing over long timelines to understand the patterns in western populations will be crucial.

Facultative mutualism between a Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) and a Rocky Mountain Elk (Cervus canadensis nelson) is reported. This interspecific interaction was observed in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, and was documented photographically.

Reported herein is the behavior of an American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) that was photographed dunking and paddling a cracker in a birdbath. It is reasonable to assert that the birdbath's water was used to moisten and/or soften the hard and dry cracker prior to consumption. Additionally, this problem-solving behavior appears to have been premeditated, given how deliberate the crow was with each step of its behavior.