Wildlife

There is so much to see at San Luis Reservoir, especially the wildlife. Besides the common animals like raccoons and skunks, some of the patrol officers have seen mountain lions close to the DWR (Department of Water Resources) compound. And once I saw a river otter walking down the dam access road. Not the usual place for a river otter.

Occasionally we see coyotes and bobcats and the seldom seen badger. The bobcats are hard to get a picture of because they run fast for cover.

And of course we have snakes during the warm season…mostly rattlesnakes, but also king snakes.

Then in October or there about, there is the tarantula migration although the past couple of years there hasn’t been many. They are the small, brown tarantulas common to central California.

Mostly we see elk and deer. The elk herd is over 200 animals and the deer…well, the most I’ve seen in one group is seven. But they both offer endless photo opportunities. We even have a three-legged elk which is about three years old. Unfortunately, she got her leg caught in a fence, but she gets by just fine with the rest of the herd.