September 12, 2025Every day, River Partners sees the impact of our restoration work throughout California, and our Science and Operations teams are fortunate enough for a close-up look at the power of our work. From smartphones to high-tech camera traps in key locations we’ve restored statewide, River Partners staff continue to capture and share photos and videos of wildlife sightings, illustrating in vivid detail that revitalizing river landscapes is working.
Please check out the first three editions of the “Eyes in the Wild” series here.
Dutch Slough (Contra Costa County)
Restoration Science Ecologist Laurel Sebastian was the 700-acre Dutch Slough site restored by River Partners, along with our partners the California Department of Water Resources, near the town of Oakley in Contra Costa County, about 20 miles west of Stockton. As she was monitoring the health of the native vegetation River Partners planted in 2019, she saw this jaunty little critter, an American mink, looking for a spot to exit a gravel road and grabbed a video. We’re glad she did—the presence of mink in any area is a good indication of a healthy and functional aquatic ecosystem.
This semi-aquatic mammal is a member of the weasel family. Its thick, soft, water-repellent fur on its long, slender body helps make it an excellent swimmer. Taking full advantage of its water skills, not to mention excellent senses of smell and hearing, the mink preys on fish, amphibians, crayfish, and birds—basically, anything small enough to catch.
And that luxurious fur? It was the target of a fur trade, particularly between the 17th and 19th centuries. But the mink’s tenacity, adaptability, and resilience (not to mention its high reproductive rate) allowed it to withstand hunting and trapping pressure. The number of minks today are stable, but habitat loss and water pollution can certainly impact local populations.
Heritage Growers (Colusa County)
We think all bees are cute. But this Crotch’s bumble bee, photographed in early July by Restoration Biologist Kim Armstrong at Heritage Growers (our native seed venture located near Colusa), is downright adorable. The California poppy is a valuable nectar and pollen source for this bumble bee, particularly during its active season from mid-spring to late summer.
This large, fuzzy, and orange-banded insect is an important pollinator for native plants and a wide range of crops grown across the state. One pollination method it uses is called “buzz pollination,” which happens when these bees use high-frequency vibrations of their thoracic muscles to release pollen from certain flowers. The Crotch’s bumble bee, however, has been listed as a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act since 2022. Sharp declines in its historic range and abundance, due to urbanization and intensive agriculture, have contributed to a decline in suitable habitat.
When River Partners talks about our goal to increase the number of pollinator-friendly plants for the Western monarch butterfly, this also serves our imperiled bumble bee friends. So, when we see a Crotch’s bumble bee, we have reason to celebrate.
Panorama Vista Preserve (Kern County)
Field Technician Alex Villalobos was walking among the plants at the 935-acre Panorama Vista Preserve, restored by River Partners which straddles both sides of the Kern River in Bakersfield. Within the leaves, a flutter caught his eye, and he snapped a picture of this beautiful Western monarch butterfly climbing all over this glorious California buttonbush planted by River Partners.
This is a moment we love to see – a monarch butterfly, a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act, utilizing a pollinator plant, likely sipping its nectar, that we placed in the ground along with hundreds of others. While the monarch caterpillar’s diet consists solely of milkweed, adult butterflies require nectar-producing plants for energy as they embark on their epic migration from the California coast to the Rocky Mountains, often stopping here in Kern County. River Partners’ commitment to planting 15 million milkweed plants at our restoration sites throughout the state by 2030 serves all pollinators.
Fun fact: This is a female monarch. How can we tell from this photo? Male monarchs have a small black spot on the top of their hindwings that are visible when their wings are open (females do not), and male monarchs have slightly thinner wing veins (this beauty’s veins are a tad thicker).
Rancho Breisgau (Shasta County)
Associate Restoration Scientist Raquel Elander shared these photos of a mountain lion from a camera trap at Rancho Breisgau, a 300-acre floodplain site River Partners is restoring along the Sacramento River in Shasta County. Though mountain lions are very stealthy and skilled predators, these photos show that even big kitties can be cute – though giving this cat a belly rub may not be the best idea.
In terms of body size, mountain lions are one of the largest cats in North America, second only to the jaguar. They’re native to California and prefer a solitary and reclusive lifestyle, making their homes in diverse locations, including mixed riparian forests like the ones River Partners plant each day, redwoods, coastal brushlands, and, yes, mountains. Females have territories up to 300 miles, while males have territories up to 500 miles that can overlap with several females at a time.
These beautiful cats help balance the ecosystem wherever they live. In 2020, the California Fish and Game Commission listed mountain lions as a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act – they are considered highly vulnerable in southern and central California. Their population growth is thwarted by habitat fragmentation, rodenticide poisoning, and, increasingly, vehicle strikes. California is currently working to protect and establish wildlife corridors to connect fragmented habitats and avoid possible intersection with their habitat and highways.
Tule Elk State National Reserve (Kern County)
“Good morning” from this American badger snapped by one of our camera traps at the 965-acre Tule Elk State Natural Reserve in Kern County, located about 25 miles west of Bakersfield where River Partners is working to conserve and enhance critical habitats to benefit a range of wildlife. Shared by Associate Restoration Scientist Zoe Schimnowski, we get a candid look at this member of the weasel family (our second one this month!) on its morning stroll amongst some white yarrow.
A famously powerful hunter, the badger uses its long claws and strong arms and legs to dig fast and deep to build underground burrows, tunnels, and sleeping chambers. It also employs a keen sense of smell to prey mainly on rodents like ground squirrels, rats, mice, and gophers, but they’ll also eat birds, insects, and reptiles. Usually solitary, badgers sometimes can be seen in family groups or even alongside coyotes while hunting.
The badger is listed as a species of special concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Urban development and expansion into grasslands have drastically impacted their natural habitat, while ingestion of rodent poisons has proven harmful to badger populations.
