Want to help make a difference this year? Consider donating your eyes to Iguanas from Above!

The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) is an imperiled reptile species found solely in the archipelago of the Galapagos Islands, and they need your help. Due to the introduction of invasive predators, climate change, and marine pollution, this species (and all 11 subspecies) are on the decline. One organization, Iguanas from Above, has been using drones to survey the islands. Hundreds of thousands of photos have been taken, way too many for one small team. 

Luckily, citizen scientists come to the rescue. IfA has uploaded all of their data to Zooniverse, a platform for citizen scientists to donate their time and talent, to speed up research efforts. Please consider contributing to IfA's page by looking for iguanas, sea turtles, crabs, and more!

What to look for:

The main thing IfA is looking for are male iguanas with or without "leks", which is essentially a pile of females hanging around a male they have determined to be a good partner. Please refer to the example photos found here and follow IfA's tutorial before jumping in to ensure quality data.

If you've read this far, you're clearly interested. I challenge you to analyze 15 drone shots to help IfA and encourage you to share the project with a friend.

As deciduous trees shed their leaves to preserve energy during the winter, many have noticed clumps of green still on the tree. That's mistletoe!

Mistletoe are an evergreen hemiparasitic plant, meaning they do not drop their leaves, and can photosynthesize to some degree but mainly rely on other plants for water and nutrients.

Mistletoe spreads mainly  through seed dispersal via animals (primarily birds), but some species, such as the European mistletoe (Viscum album), was brought over to California via anthropogenic means. This species, introduced by hortoculturulist Arthur Burbank in the early 1900s, was brought to Sebastopol, Sonoma County as an ornamental crop and for medicinal use. V. album is the species of mistletoe most commonly associated with the holiday tradition of "kissing under the mistletoe", but other species, primarily the native American mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum) are used as well.

Mistletoe parasitizies it's host by growing haustorial roots directly into the xylem of its host, extracting water and nutrients.

There are an estimated 25+ species of Viscaceous Mistletoes (Tribe Visceae) in California on all sorts of trees both deciduous and evergreen. 

While most plants and animals have tucked away and gone dormant for the chilly season, there is still plenty of life out on the trails. 

Fun Fact: "mushrooms" are just the fruiting bodies of a fungus, which is mostly made up of mycelium. Mycelium is the underground “root system” of a fungus - a giant network of tiny white threads that spreads through soil, wood, or anything it’s eating. Think of mushrooms as an apple on an apple tree.

Pictured are just some of the many cool fungi I came across an Maxwell Farms regional park while volunteering. Got any cool fungus photos? Feel free to share them with me and I can try to ID them for you!

If you've ever visited the California Academy of Science, you probably met Claude. Claude the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), was born in 1995 and moved to Cal Academy in 2008. For the last 17 years, he has been the unofficial mascot of the museum and fan favorite exhibit for those who came to visit. 

Sadly, Claude has passed away from liver cancer this holiday season (12/2/25). As an annual visitor of the museum myself, it will be the first year I don't get to see him.

Claude was and still is a pinnacle example of how impactful ambassador animals are when it comes to environmental education. If you have any fond memories or photos of Claude, you can contact his care team at claude@calacademy.org. Rest in peace, you absolute legend.

This December, myself and many other CA Naturalists are participating in Cal Academy's Solstice Sea Star Search, where we track what species live along the coast and how they are being affected by Sea Star Wasting Syndrome. Interested in joining in? Here's how YOU can help:

1. Create an iNaturalist account and download the app for iOS or Android.

2. Head to a tidepool site during low tide, using TideFinder to find low tides near you.

3. Search for sea stars, especially sunflower and giant pink sea stars, and share your observations on iNaturalist.

4. Check out the Winter Solstice Sea Star Search 2025 project on iNaturalist to see what we are finding and to help with identifications.

5. Spread the word with hashtag #SolsticeSeaStarSearch

I hope to see you out on the coast!

Want to make a difference this Halloween season? Take a look at this Candy guide put out by the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - they've found popular candy brands that only use certified sustainable palm oil in their products.

Want to take it a step further? Check out this more detailed list of palm oil free candies. 

Looking for something spooky to do this month? Come visit me and other incredible vendors such as the East Bay Vivarium, Native Bird Connections, and NorCal Bats on October 25th 10:00am - 3:00pm at Safari West to meet some creepy-crawlies up close! I will be sharing a table with friend and fellow critterologist Reptile Galen.

Some "wasps" are more than meets the eye! On my morning walk today, I noticed an unusually large wasp on the ground. To my surprise, it wasn't a wasp at all - it was Paranthrene robiniae, the Western Poplar Clearwing Moth! This species is a wonderful example of Batesian mimicry; when a harmless species looks and behaves like a harmful one to avoid conflict. 

This particular species ecloses with no mouth parts, meaning they only have a week or so to mate before dying. As larvae, Paranthrene robiniae burrow into the heartwood of aspen, cedar, and willows where they can cause some serious damage to the tree. Luckily, I found this individual along my local creek corridor, which is chock-full of willows, where I suspect this individual came from.

Come find awesome critters like this and more by joining me on my Guided Hikes!

I am proud to announce that two new animals will be joining the ambassador team! Meet Kiwi (Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula) and Scincus (Egyptian Sandfish)! They are both now available for events, parties, and any other appropriate outings. Find them and more Under About > My Animals.

Want to learn what to do if there's an emergency on the trail? Come join me at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park where I will be assisting in a wilderness first aid class with Safety Training Pros. I was invited back after having taken the class myself and 100% recommend learning from them. Come join us on August 9th & 10th from 8:30-5:00 at the observatory!

Note: this is a paid class geared towards teens and adults. I myself will not be teaching this class, just assisting.

I am excited to announce that I have become a wildlife volunteer with Sonoma County Regional Parks!

If you find me out and about, ask me what's happening in the park that day - I may be monitoring endangered species, keeping the park clean, or just enjoying some time outdoors.

You are more than welcome to join me as I walk (as long as I am on trail!) as I explore and observe what makes Sonoma County Regional Parks so special.

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of beloved ambassador animal Squiz (Leopard Gecko). Squiz engaged with and helped educate tens of thousands of people across his 10+ years of service. He was one of my first reptiles and played a major role in me wanting to go into environmental education. I am at a loss for words for how much he meant to me and those who got to know him. He was truly a spectacular animal and representative of his species.

Hold your animals closer tonight. Give them an extra treat. The sad truth is that nothing lasts forever and it is important to make memories while you still have time. Rest easy buddy, you've earned it.

Summer is here, and with that, tons of reptiles are out in the warmer weather. While most snakes and lizards stick to warm rocks or under logs, you can find some in some VERY interesting places. While scouting a trail for future programming, I came across this Coast Garter Snake (Thamnophis elegans terrestris) crawling along the cliff face on the beach. A super cool find that I certainly did not expect!

This species primarily feeds on fish and thus has evolved modified "sand paper-y" scales to help grip their slippery food. It is a mildly rear-fang venomous species that holds no medical significance to humans, but they will likely musk in self defense.  Stinky, but ultimately harmless.

Want to join in on the fun? Contact me! I am always looking to take people out looking for and admiring the awesome reptiles that call Sonoma County home.

Want a taste of what I have to offer? Come visit me at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. I am working on getting a reoccurring program going where we explore the park, learning about something new each time we meet. Details and calendar to come.