A concrete help for a better and kind world

Species: Mountain Lions

All three of our mountain lions came in as young ladies at different times in their lives. Misty was found wandering the streets as a cub; her eyes were open but she was tiny and needed to be bottle fed by staff to survive. Laurel came at an in-between stage; she was too young to be successfully released, but old enough to become dependent on humans for a food source. Sage came to CALM from out of state and it was determined that her health issues were too great to allow her to be released thus making her a candidate for a permanent member of the CALM animal family. When visiting CALM you can see all 3 of these ladies bonded together in their enclosure. They are happy to share a ledge, stalk guests or play in their creek with the variety of enrichment that our keeper staff offer them daily!

Species: Bobcat

The bobcat (Lynx rufus), also known as the red lynx, is a medium-sized cat native to North America. It ranges from southern Canada through most of the contiguous United States to Oaxaca in Mexico. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2002, due to its wide distribution and large population. Although it has been hunted extensively both for sport and fur, populations have proven stable, though declining, in some areas.

It has distinctive black bars on its forelegs and a black-tipped, stubby (or “bobbed”) tail, from which it derives its name. It reaches a body length of up to 125 cm (49 in). It is an adaptable predator inhabiting wooded areas, semidesert, urban edge, forest edge, and swampland environments. It remains in some of its original range, but populations are vulnerable to local extinction by coyotes and domestic animals. Though the bobcat prefers rabbits and hares, it hunts insects, chickens, geese and other birds, small rodents, and deer. Prey selection depends on location and habitat, season, and abundance. Like most cats, the bobcat is territorial and largely solitary, although with some overlap in home ranges. It uses several methods to mark its territorial boundaries, including claw marks and deposits of urine or feces. The bobcat breeds from winter into spring and has a gestation period of about two months.

Species: San Joaquin kit fox

The endangered San Joaquin kit fox (Vulpes macrotis mutica) was formerly very common in the San Joaquin Valley and through much of Central California. Its 1990 population was estimated to be 7,000. This subspecies is still endangered, after nearly 50 years of being on the Endangered Species List. Officially this subspecies was listed March 3, 1967.

On September 26, 2007, Wildlands Inc. announced the designation of the 684-acre (2.77 km2) Deadman Creek Conservation Bank, which is intended specifically to protect habitat of the San Joaquin kit fox. However, the population continues to decline mostly due to heavy habitat loss. Other factors include competition from red fox, and the extermination of the gray wolf from California has left the coyote as the dominant meso-predator in kit fox territory bringing an imbalance in ecosystem relationships. Sarcoptic Mange has also constituted a significant threat, specifically to the Bakersfield population of the subspecies, with 15 confirmed cases reported by the end of 2014.

Species: Desert Tortoise

The desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species is native to the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, and to the Sinaloan thornscrub of northwestern Mexico. G. agassizii is distributed in western Arizona, southeastern California, southern Nevada, and southwestern Utah. The specific name agassizii is in honor of Swiss-American zoologist Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz.

The desert tortoise lives about 50 to 80 years; it grows slowly and generally has a low reproductive rate. It spends most of its time in burrows, rock shelters, and pallets to regulate body temperature and reduce water loss. It is most active after seasonal rains and is inactive during most of the year. This inactivity helps reduce water loss during hot periods, whereas winter brumation facilitates survival during freezing temperatures and low food availability. Desert tortoises can tolerate water, salt, and energy imbalances on a daily basis, which increases their lifespans.

Species: Golden Eagle

The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. These birds are dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on their napes. Immature eagles of this species typically have white on the tail and often have white markings on the wings. Golden eagles use their agility and speed combined with powerful feet and massive, sharp talons to snatch up a variety of prey, mainly hares, rabbits, and marmots and other ground squirrels. Golden eagles maintain home ranges or territories that may be as large as 200 km2 (77 sq mi). They build large nests in cliffs and other high places to which they may return for several breeding years. Most breeding activities take place in the spring; they are monogamous and may remain together for several years or possibly for life. Females lay up to four eggs, and then incubate them for six weeks. Typically, one or two young survive to fledge in about three months. These juvenile golden eagles usually attain full independence in the fall, after which they wander widely until establishing a territory for themselves in four to five years.

Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many areas which are now more heavily populated by humans. Despite being extirpated from or uncommon in some of its former range, the species is still widespread, being present in sizeable stretches of Eurasia, North America, and parts of North Africa. It is the largest and least populous of the five species of true accipitrid to occur as a breeding species in both the Palearctic and the Nearctic.

For centuries, this species has been one of the most highly regarded birds used in falconry. Due to its hunting prowess, the golden eagle is regarded with great mystic reverence in some ancient, tribal cultures. It is one of the most extensively studied species of raptor in the world in some parts of its range, such as the Western United States and the Western Palearctic.

Species: Bobcats

Rufus and Roxie came into CALM as closed-eyed babies and were hand-raised by CALM staff. Due to medical respiratory issues, staff had to spend a lot of time with them to ensure their health needs were met. Because of this, both Rufus and Roxy came to love people too much and it was decided that CALM would be their forever home. Rufus and Roxy are the most curious of bobcats and spend their days jumping from rocks in their exhibits and spying on guests from their enclosure. Our keeper staff work with them daily to burn off energy and encourage their playful sides. They also live right beside our Big Horn Sheep and spend much of their time “chatting up the neighbors” though their enclosure.

Species: American Black Bear

Cinnamon and Louie were brought to CALM at different times but are now the best of Bear Buds! Cinnamon was brought to us through California Department of Fish and Wildlife after it was determined that he was not a suitable candidate to be released into the wild; he was under a year old and too young to make it successfully on his own.

Louie came to CALM when he was roughly 2 and a half years old. Bears usually leave their mommas at this age and he was found raiding fish huts in San Luis Obispo! Bears are naturally inquisitive and Louie was no exception. Fish and Wildlife evaluated Louie and his curiosity made him an unlikely candidate for release into another area so he was brought to CALM to be a partner to Cinnamon. Upon arrival, Louie was not sure about Cinnamon! It is natural for young bears to be scared of male bears and Louie wanted nothing to do with Cinnamon…but Cinnamon worked SO hard to win him over! He desperately wanted to be his friend. He would share his best food with Louie and would nudge it to him or leave it where he could get it (they were separated by hotwire in the habitat until they were able to be safely introduced). He would open coconuts and melons and slide those under the wire for him and share his fish. Eventually the boys became inseparable and you can now see them snuggling when you come out to CALM.

Species: Coyote

Zuko came to CALM after being found as a pup. It is likely that the family that found him thought he was a puppy that was abandoned (it happens often!). He was around 10 weeks old and was introduced to a few other wild coyotes in our Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in hopes that he would become more wild and be releaseable. However, Zuko was such a friendly boy and started turning our wild coyotes into friendly pups as well! Since our goal is always to return as many animals back to the wild, we decided to separate Zuko and released the other pups into the wild. Zuko is such a friendly boy and was too into people to be released back thus his forever home became CALM. Zuko loves checking out our guests, getting scratches by our keeper staff and enjoying a wide variety of games, treats and fun!

Dani (name not 100 percent decided, but we love Dani-Zuko as a Grease reference 😉 ) is CALM’s newest addition and came to CALM through a community partner that found her. Although her history is unknown, Dani came to us with a cranial trauma that has caused her to be blind in one eye. Upon examination, it is likely that Dani was also struck either by a bb gun or bird shot. She is roughly 7 weeks old now and is working alongside our crew to become an Ambassador for CALM. She will be introduced as a buddy to Zuko and will live her life here at CALM as she cannot be released due to her injuries.

Scruggs is a very interesting guy! He came to CALM from a fellow wildlife rehabilitation center after being struck by a car. Scruggs is a story of survival as when he was originally comatose and thought to be deceased. Surprising the entire veterinary crew, Scruggs awoke from his comatose state moments before he was going to be put to sleep from his significant injuries. Since deciding to fight for his life, Scruggs has proven to be true to his species. He is feisty, inquisitive and curious. Our keepers work together to enrich his life with activities that keep his every curious mind working! He loves chicken, meat and a variety of fruits and veggies!

Diet: Scruggs eats a variety of fruits, veggies and meats.

Lassen and Spirit made their way into CALM through US Fish and Wildlife and CALM’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center after it was determined that their injuries would make it impossible for them to return to the wild. Lassen has been with CALM since 1990 and Spirit joined the ranks in 2003. In captivity, Bald Eagles have been recorded to live 30+ years. When visiting Spirit and Lassen at CALM, you can often hear their high pitch chirping when one of our keepers enters their enclosure. They are very vocal and know who their favorite people are! Trying to tell the difference between them? Spirit is missing an eye, but that doesn’t stop her from being one of the world’s most majestic birds!

Habitat: The bald eagle occurs during its breeding season in virtually any kind of American wetland habitat such as seacoasts, rivers, large lakes or marshes or other large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish. Studies have shown a preference for bodies of water with a circumference greater than 11 km (7 mi), and lakes with an area greater than 10 km2 (4 sq mi) are optimal for breeding bald eagles. The bald eagle typically requires old-growth and mature stands of coniferous or hardwood trees for perching, roosting, and nesting. Tree species reportedly is less important to the eagle pair than the tree’s height, composition and location.

Perhaps of paramount importance for this species is an abundance of comparatively large trees surrounding the body of water. Selected trees must have good visibility, be over 20 m (66 ft) tall, an open structure, and proximity to prey. If nesting trees are in standing water such as in a mangrove swamp, the nest can be located fairly low, at as low 6 m (20 ft) above the ground. In a more typical tree standing on dry ground, nests may be located from 16 to 38 m (52 to 125 ft) in height. In Chesapeake Bay, nesting trees averaged 82 cm (32 in) in diameter and 28 m (92 ft) in total height, while in Florida, the average nesting tree stands 23 m (75 ft) high and is 23 cm (9.1 in) in diameter.

Trees used for nesting in the Greater Yellowstone area average 27 m (89 ft) high. Trees or forest used for nesting should have a canopy cover of no more than 60%, and no less than 20%, and be in close proximity to water. Most nests have been found within 200 m (660 ft) of open water. The greatest distance from open water recorded for a bald eagle nest was over 3 km (1.9 mi), in Florida. Bald eagle nests are often very large in order to compensate for size of the birds. The largest recorded nest was found in Florida in 1963, and was measured at nearly 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep.

Diet: While at CALM, Lassen and Spirit receive a variety of foods! Fish, meats and BOP diets (Birds of Prey). Keepers often put food throughout the exhibit to enrich Lassen and Spirit’s curiosity sides.

Lassen and Spirit made their way into CALM through US Fish and Wildlife and CALM’s Wildlife Rehabilitation Center after it was determined that their injuries would make it impossible for them to return to the wild. Lassen has been with CALM since 1990 and Spirit joined the ranks in 2003. In captivity, Bald Eagles have been recorded to live 30+ years. When visiting Spirit and Lassen at CALM, you can often hear their high pitch chirping when one of our keepers enters their enclosure. They are very vocal and know who their favorite people are! Trying to tell the difference between them? Spirit is missing an eye, but that doesn’t stop her from being one of the world’s most majestic birds!

Habitat: The bald eagle occurs during its breeding season in virtually any kind of American wetland habitat such as seacoasts, rivers, large lakes or marshes or other large bodies of open water with an abundance of fish. Studies have shown a preference for bodies of water with a circumference greater than 11 km (7 mi), and lakes with an area greater than 10 km2 (4 sq mi) are optimal for breeding bald eagles.

The bald eagle typically requires old-growth and mature stands of coniferous or hardwood trees for perching, roosting, and nesting. Tree species reportedly is less important to the eagle pair than the tree’s height, composition and location. Perhaps of paramount importance for this species is an abundance of comparatively large trees surrounding the body of water. Selected trees must have good visibility, be over 20 m (66 ft) tall, an open structure, and proximity to prey. If nesting trees are in standing water such as in a mangrove swamp, the nest can be located fairly low, at as low 6 m (20 ft) above the ground.

In a more typical tree standing on dry ground, nests may be located from 16 to 38 m (52 to 125 ft) in height. In Chesapeake Bay, nesting trees averaged 82 cm (32 in) in diameter and 28 m (92 ft) in total height, while in Florida, the average nesting tree stands 23 m (75 ft) high and is 23 cm (9.1 in) in diameter.[44][45] Trees used for nesting in the Greater Yellowstone area average 27 m (89 ft) high. Trees or forest used for nesting should have a canopy cover of no more than 60%, and no less than 20%, and be in close proximity to water.[41] Most nests have been found within 200 m (660 ft) of open water. The greatest distance from open water recorded for a bald eagle nest was over 3 km (1.9 mi), in Florida.

Bald eagle nests are often very large in order to compensate for size of the birds. The largest recorded nest was found in Florida in 1963, and was measured at nearly 10 feet wide and 20 feet deep.

Diet: While at CALM, Lassen and Spirit receive a variety of foods! Fish, meats and BOP diets (Birds of Prey). Keepers often put food throughout the exhibit to enrich Lassen and Spirit’s curiousity sides.