Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz County

10/15/2026

An update on our raccoon duo!

Remember the two orphaned raccoons we brought together with help from WildCare in San Rafael? Both are doing well and progressing as expected in our care.

Here's one last peek at their exploring, climbing, and hammock lounging before they moved to one of our at-home rehabilitators, where they're continuing to grow. They're expecting another companion soon, a third orphaned raccoon from Napa!

We're happy to see their progress, and grateful they will all have each other as they grow.

10/07/2026

IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT RESCUING BIRDS WITH FISH HOOKS:

A video circulating online shows a man helping a gull caught on a fishing hook at a Santa Cruz beach. We want to thank him for stopping to help an animal in distress. That willingness to act is something we deeply appreciate at Native Animal Rescue. 💚 BUT we do want to point out that birds with fish hook injuries might need further care after hook(s) are removed.

A hook can leave a puncture wound and tissue damage that aren't obvious from the outside. Depending on the injury, a bird may need wound care, pain medication, antibiotics, and support while healing. Pain, swelling, or infection can interfere with eating, potentially leading to starvation or other life-threatening complications.

Being able to fly away does not tell us whether a bird can eat normally or whether its wounds will heal safely. We don't know what happened to this particular gull after release, but we want future rescuers to know how to give an injured bird the best chance.

If you find a bird with an embedded or swallowed fishing hook, please contact NAR before attempting removal or releasing it, even if the hook has already been removed. Call 831-462-0726 for guidance. Our local instructions are to bring hooked birds to us for assessment and care.

And to the couple in this video: would you be interested in becoming rescue volunteers with NAR? We'd love to connect. Caring people who are willing to stop and help are an essential part of wildlife rescue, and we provide training and support.

Thank you to everyone who looks out for our coastal wildlife. Please help us share this next step in their care.

We've included a link to the news story in the comments.

09/29/2026

TWO ORPHANED RACCOONS ARE UNITED.

Babies aren't just born in spring! Some wildlife species have a smaller second birthing season in late summer. At the end of August, a single orphaned raccoon was admitted to NAR.

Growing up with others of their own species is an important part of rehabilitation for orphaned wildlife. It gives them a chance to bond, learn from each other, and remain wild while in care. We searched for weeks for another young raccoon of a similar size, but we continued to be unsuccessful.

Then Wildcare in San Rafael called. They had received a single orphaned raccoon who was a little smaller than ours. Everyone was thrilled to give these two a companion.

In the video, you'll see their first meeting. Our rehabilitator, Amy, stimulates the babies in a way that mimics their mother's care. You can hear their content purrs! This helped them feel comfortable as they were introduced; it isn't play or an invitation for people to handle wild raccoons.

After a couple of days settling in, our newest arrival is doing great, and the two are getting along beautifully.

09/23/2026

GREAT HORNED OWL rescued from golf course net:

This Great Horned Owl needed help in a spot we couldn't safely reach on our own. Jaime from Davey Tree Service stepped in to help with the rescue, as he so often does when he's available. We're grateful to have community members willing to show up for wildlife.

After the rescue, our team triaged the owl and transferred them to our longer-term raptor rehabilitator, Blue Apple Farms, for continued care and monitoring. We're hopeful they can return to the wild when they're ready.

Thank you, Jaime, Davey Tree Service, and everyone who helped give this owl that chance.

09/18/2026

COMMON MURRE UPDATE

Just one week ago, it appeared that the number of Common Murres arriving at Native Animal Rescue was beginning to decline. Unfortunately, admissions have risen again.

Since August 2, we have admitted 107 Murres from across Santa Cruz County. Many continue to arrive severely emaciated, and we are now also seeing birds with damaged or missing feathers and a loss of waterproofing.

Of the Murres admitted:

• 50 have been stabilized and transferred to International Bird Rescue for continued care
• 8 remain in our care
• 32 passed away within their first 24 hours

Murres who pass within the first 24 hours are often critically ill beyond recovery, but every bird receives compassionate supportive care upon arrival.

The Boardwalk area - including the Municipal Wharf, Cowell Beach and Main Beach - continues to be the largest hotspot. Most importantly, 71% of these birds have been rescued and brought to us by members of the public.

We could not respond to an event of this scale alone. Thank you to everyone who has called, transported a bird or donated to support their care. Your actions are giving these struggling seabirds their best chance at survival.

09/16/2026

Here is an inspiring rescue by our rescuer Connie of a hummingbird trapped inside a classroom at Christian School . On Friday, Amy received the call on dispatch and advised the reporting party to turn off the lights and open all doors, blinds, and shades to encourage the bird to fly toward the natural light.

When that didn't work, Connie was dispatched to assist. Using a long pole with flowers attached to the end, she successfully lured the hummingbird out of the building and safely back outside. As you can see in the video, both Connie and the reporting party were thrilled with the outcome! We hope you share their sentiment.

09/08/2026

09/05/2026

A few days ago, we shared a post about the current crisis unfolding on our coastline involving Common Murres (seabird) and marine mammals. Here at Native Animal Rescue, we continue to receive several Murres each day. The attached graphic illustrates where these compromised birds are being rescued from.

The Boardwalk area consistently generates multiple reports daily during an outbreak, as the high volume of people on Main & Cowell's Beach ensures birds are spotted and rescued quickly. However, this is not the case for southern county locations like Pajaro Dunes and Seascape. Due to the remote nature of these beaches, birds are often found too late, or rescuers must travel long distances on foot to reach them.

If you find a Murre on the beach, it needs help. These small, docile birds can be easily picked up with a sweatshirt or towel and carried to your vehicle for transport to our facility. We are asking for the public's assistance in rescuing these birds if you feel comfortable doing so. If you are not comfortable handling a bird yourself, please call us immediately at 831-462-0726 ext 0.

09/02/2026

🚨 TWO WILDLIFE CRISES ARE UNFOLDING ALONG OUR COAST 🚨

Our coastline is experiencing two serious wildlife emergencies at the same time. We want our community to know what is happening, and what to do if you encounter an animal in distress.

WEAK & STRANDED COMMON MURRES

Native Animal Rescue is seeing an alarming influx of weak and emaciated Common Murres coming ashore.

Murres are pelagic seabirds, which means they belong on the open ocean. A Murre found sitting on a beach or other land should be considered an animal in distress and in need of rescue. If you find a Murre on land, please contact Native Animal Rescue immediately at 831-462-0726 and we will walk you through the steps to rescue the Murre and bring it to us. Do not attempt to return the bird to the ocean.

Warmer-than-usual ocean conditions can disrupt the marine food web. As ocean temperatures rise, prey fish may move into deeper, cooler water. Murres are exceptional divers, but when their prey becomes less accessible, they can struggle to find enough food. We are now seeing the consequences: exhausted, weakened birds washing ashore.

DOMOIC ACID POISONING IN SEALS & SEA LIONS

At the same time, seals and sea lions along our coast are being affected by domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by the algae Pseudo-nitzschia during harmful algal blooms.

Affected marine mammals may appear disoriented, lethargic, unusually aggressive, or experience seizures and other neurological symptoms.

The marine mammal response system is currently overwhelmed, with rehabilitation facilities at or near capacity and limited ability to accept additional patients.

PLEASE GIVE WILDLIFE SPACE

With so many sick and distressed animals currently appearing along the coast, we strongly encourage people to consider avoiding affected beaches until conditions improve. Beyond being extremely difficult to witness, crowded beaches can add additional stress to already compromised wildlife.

If you encounter a sick or stranded seal or sea lion, keep yourself and pets away and contact the appropriate marine mammal rescue organization, Marine Mammal Rescue, at 415-289-7325. Never approach, touch, feed, or attempt to move a marine mammal.

We also advise visiting the kiosk, lifeguard tower or visitor center if you are at a beach and request them to put out cones for stranded wildlife until they are able to be safely rescued.

Our ocean wildlife is telling us very clearly that something is wrong right now. Please help us protect these animals by staying alert, giving them space, and reporting wildlife in distress.