Things are looking up for the El Segundo Blue Butterfly, an endangered species that flutter about a preserve located near Los Angeles International Airport: Their population has risen about 8 percent over the last year. more ›

At the brink of extinction, the mountain yellow-legged frog, a once plentiful SoCal critter, has a new hope in population replenishing. The Los Angeles Zoo announced Thursday that it successfully bred over 200 of the rare, native tadpoles to be released into the wild," notes SoCal WIld. more ›

The Santa Monica restaurant found to be serving endangered whale meat sushi could find themselves off the proverbial hook, according to an AP report published on cbs2. Federal prosecutors are moving to dismiss the charges against Typhoon Restaurant, Inc., the parent company of the now-closed The Hump, and 45-year-old chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto. more ›

It is claimed to be the world's rarest butterfly and it lives here, albeit endangered. The Palos Verdes blue butterfly was listed as endangered in 1980--thanks to development, non-native plants and off-roading--but within a few years, many scientists believed it was extinct, according to Cooperative Conservation America. That was until 1994 when a UCLA researcher came upon some of the butterflies in San Pedro. more ›

The Yellow-Legged Frog is one of the endangered species found within the Angeles National Forest. With the Station Fire now past and mudslides a concern, U.S. Fish and Wildlife service officials are relocating some of the frogs until their home is more stable, reports the Pasadena Star News. Other endangered species in the forest include the unarmored threespine stickleback (it's a fish), the Arroyo toad and the Santa Ana suckerfish. LAist covered the frogs last December. more ›

Tucked up in a remote corner of the Santa Clarita Valley is something quite unusual. A large swath of near-high desert land is home to 35 gibbons (a newborn is expected to make it 36 this weekend) from 15 difference species. more ›

These weasels are so damn cute, but once again their population is dwindling. In the late 19th Century and into the early 20th, the population estimated to be over 100,000 decreased to extreme lows of around 1,000 to 2,000 thanks to the fur trade (in California, the population was specifically around 16,000 which was decimated to around 50). Today they are protected by law and a Monterey Aquarium favorite. more ›

One of the six endangered California Condors released at Pinnacles National Monument in 2003 has died at the Los Angeles Zoo. After the bird was found shot, it was brought to Los Angeles to be treated, but died Monday due to complications from lead poisoning after the bird ingested lead ammunition from hunters (oddly enough, the gunshots and ingestion were not related). On the brighter side of things. Two condors (313 and 303 if you really want to be specific) have mated and are watching over their egg right now just outside the National Monument on a privately owned ranch. This is the first condor nest near the monument in 70s years, according to the National Park Service. more ›

By the 1960s, America's bird and national symbol could not be found on any of the eight Channel Islands where it had made home before the arrival of humans. Twenty years before, the practice of pouring DDT into the ocean off Palos Verdes Peninsula, mostly at the hands of the Montrose Chemical Corporation, became a 30 year practice resulting in those chemicals going up the marine food chain into Bald Eagles, whose main diet consist of fish. No, it didn't kill the bald eagles, but it was to their eggs--too thin and fragile due to the chemical intrusion, they were easily crushed before the chicks would hatch. Eventually, with no birth cycle, Bald Eagles were gone. more ›

Back in December and January, California brown pelicans were found wandering in unusual places: parking lots, coastal streets, highways, airport runways and alleys--far away from their usual coastal homes and almost seemingly suicidal. more ›

Hikers and outdoor enthusiasts will still have to stay clear of a 1,000 acre area in the Angeles National Forest for another year, but for a good reason. The relatively small closure in the 655,000 acre forest is to protect a critical habitat for the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog. more ›

On November 9, the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens will host the fourth annual Ape Awareness Day. Learn more about our primate friends with docents talks and stations throughout the zoo with crafts, an orangutan photo spot, games, trading cards, and more. more ›