Native Animal Rescue of Santa Cruz County

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.

08/13/2026

A Community Rescue for One Lucky Gull!

Last week a Western Gull was found entangled in fishing line over 30 feet off the ground at Black's Beach. This gull is getting a second chance thanks to an incredible community response.

During our intake exam we were relieved to find no broken bones. The fishing line had wrapped tightly around the gull several times, causing significant swelling in the wing. Our biggest concern is damage from the line temporarily cutting off circulation. The wing is still swollen and drooping, but thankfully, it appears viable. The gull is alert, eating, and being treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication.

On Tuesday, the gull was transported to International Bird Rescue for continued specialized care.

A huge thank you to Darlene, our dispatcher who coordinated NAR's response; Mark, our rescuer; Lucinda, who reported the gull and shared rescue footage; Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks; and Central Fire District of Santa Cruz County for getting this bird safely out of a very dangerous situation.

Discarded fishing line can be deadly to wildlife. Please always clean up your line and tackle.

08/06/2026

In the first six months of 2026, NAR has cared for more animals than ever before! To learn more about our woodpecker invasion, visit our summer newsletter. https://nativeanimalrescue.dm.networkforgood.com/emails/more-babies-than-ever-before

Your tax-deductible donations are used to feed, house and care for 3,000 animals a year. Native Animal Rescue is a small Santa Cruz non-profit licensed to rehabilitate the distressed wildlife of Santa Cruz County. In 2025, we cared for over 2,100 birds, from small hummingbirds to large pelicans, haw...

08/06/2026

GREAT HORNED OWLS:
Since the start of the year, Native Animal Rescue has admitted 19 Great Horned Owls. These owls use their extraordinary hearing, silent flight, and powerful talons to hunt rodents, rabbits, birds, and other prey. Sadly, several of the owls which came into our care were admitted after being entangled in netting.

Chicken netting, soccer goals, garden mesh, and other loose materials can catch an owl’s feet, wings, or feathers as it hunts or flies at night. The more the bird struggles, the more tightly it can become entangled.

You can help by rolling up sports nets when they are not in use, keeping all netting tight and highly visible, repairing loose or sagging sections, and choosing rigid welded wire or vinyl-coated hardware cloth instead of flexible mesh around animal enclosures. It’s also helpful to avoid rodenticides and glue traps, preserving mature trees for nesting, and driving carefully at dusk and after dark.

Never try to handle or cut free an entangled owl yourself. Great Horned Owls have extremely powerful talons and can seriously injure a rescuer. Keep people and pets back and contact Native Animal Rescue immediately.

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07/30/2026

Not All Santa Cruz Tourists Are Human!

We have received reports of three separate marmot sightings in the area. These may all be the same adventurous traveler covering several blocks, or there could be more than one marmot enjoying an unexpected Santa Cruz vacation.

Marmots are not native to the Santa Cruz area. Occasionally, one will hide near a vehicle's wheel well for warmth and accidentally hitch a ride down from its higher-elevation home. While Santa Cruz is a wonderful place to visit, this tourist needs help getting back where he belongs!

If you see a marmot:

-Note the exact location and time
-Take a photo or video from a safe distance, if possible
-Do not chase, corner, feed or attempt to capture it
-Notify us, Native Animal Rescue at 831 462-0726

We have requested the assistance of Wildlife Emergency Service to provide their expert trapping services to catch the marmot. We will contact them when we receive a call about the marmot.

Let's work together to help our furry tourist end his Santa Cruz vacation and find their way home!

07/26/2026

Happy National Parent's Day!

Today we're celebrating parents of every kind, including the wild ones.

For wildlife, raising young is no small task. Bird parents make hundreds of trips each day to feed their hungry nestlings. Mammal mothers nurse, groom, and protect their babies, while many fathers help defend territory, gather food, or teach important survival skills.

At Native Animal Rescue, we often encounter these families during their most vulnerable moments. Every spring and summer, our goal is to reunite healthy babies with their parents whenever it's safe to do so. Wild parents give their young the best chance of survival by teaching them the skills they need to thrive in the wild.

If you come across a baby animal, remember that being alone doesn't always mean it's orphaned. Parents may be nearby, waiting for people to leave before returning to care for their young. When in doubt, contact us at 831-462-0726 before intervening.

To all the parents, caregivers, mentors, and nurturers, both human and wild, thank you for helping the next generation grow.

07/15/2026

The White-Tailed Kite is a fascinating raptor that captures your eye. The contrasting plumage of their white head, body and tail against their grey wings and black shoulders combine to be very striking features. Once you've noticed their brilliant plumage you will be drawn into their dark red eyes. Nothing, though, is more unique to the White-Tailed Kite than the way they hover or "kite" when hunting, flapping its wings into the wind before making a swift, straight descent onto its prey.

In early June, this juvenile White-tailed Kite was admitted after a member of the public found it grounded and unable to fly near her home. Despite the Kite's inability to fly there were no noticeable injuries during the intake exam. The Kite also displayed little interest in food, which initially raised concerns about their condition.

One of the greatest challenges in rehabilitating White-tailed Kites is encouraging them to eat. They are an exceptionally stress-sensitive species, and the stress of captivity often suppresses their appetite even more than it does in other raptors. The Kite is now eating better and this week was transferred to our larger raptor aviary, where the Kite is building up strength and beginning to fly short distances.

With continued care and patience by our raptor rehabilitator, we're hopeful this beautiful bird will continue to improve and reach the proper condition needed to return to the wild.

07/01/2026

Rat traps catch more than just rats!
First thing this morning, our emergency hotline received a call about a young skunk found with a snap trap clamped tightly to one front paw. The caller had discovered the skunk late the night before and, concerned for the animal's safety, was able to gently contain them in a trash can until one of our rescuers could respond this morning.

Thanks to that quick thinking, this young skunk now has a chance at recovery.

Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated incident.

Every year, Native Animal Rescue admits wildlife injured by snap rat traps that were intended for rats. While these traps can be an effective and more humane option for controlling rats indoors, they can have devastating unintended consequences when used outside.

Curious animals searching for food don't know the difference between a baited trap and an easy meal. Skunks, squirrels, opossums, raccoons, songbirds, and other wildlife can all become caught. Even outdoor cats, dogs, and children are at risk of accidental injury.

Right now, one of our wildlife rehabilitators is caring for two baby skunks who suffered painful head injuries after becoming trapped in snap traps. Another rehabilitator is treating a young animal whose wrist was crushed by one. These injuries are often severe, causing significant swelling, deep wounds, infections, abscesses, broken bones, and sometimes the loss of toes or entire limbs. Despite days or even weeks of intensive treatment, we cannot always save every patient.

If you're dealing with rats around your home, the most effective long-term solution is to eliminate what is attracting them in the first place. Pick up fallen fruit, secure garbage, avoid leaving pet food outdoors, and remove other readily available food sources. Exclusion methods and deterrents can also be highly effective, and fertility control products are now available to help reduce rat populations over time.

It's also worth remembering that rats and mice play an important role in our ecosystem. They are a natural food source for hawks, owls, snakes, foxes, and many other native predators. Our goal isn't to eliminate them entirely, but to manage conflicts in ways that don't unintentionally harm the wildlife that shares our communities.

Today's young skunk is receiving the care needed because someone chose compassion and called for help. We hope you'll also choose wildlife-friendly solutions when addressing rodent problems around your home. A single snap trap placed outdoors can injure far more than its intended target.