Tara Duggan

Why San Francisco is euthanizing more stray dogs Shelter records are full of heartbreak in San Francisco. Last year, such cases propelled Animal Care and Control to the highest rate of euthanasia since 2013 — and it’s on track to worsen this...

Last month I wrote about the private nonprofit's strained relationship with the city-run San Francisco Animal Care and Control

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/a...

San Francisco SPCA announces layoffs of animal hospital and shelter staff San Francisco’s largest animal shelter and veterinary hospital, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, announced the layoffs of 11% of staff.

The San Francisco SPCA said the difficult economic climate is the reason for biggest layoffs in many years. www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Toxic metal found in L.A. air after fires. No one knows where it’s coming from A little-known and highly dangerous earth metal used to craft spaceships has been found in wildfire-ravaged homes and in the air in Los Angeles. Experts are shocked — and alarmed.

Beryllium has been used to craft nuclear weapons and shield astronauts from the heat of reentry. It's also known to cause cancer or chronic respiratory disease.

This is the first time anyone's ever found it in a home after a wildfire.

W/ @susien.bsky.social!

www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

San Francisco Zoo CEO resigns after months of controversy, and nudge from Lurie Tanya Peterson, the San Francisco Zoo’s longtime CEO, has resigned following controversies that raised questions about her leadership. She faced pressure from Mayor Daniel Lurie and others.

Over a year after I published an investigation into employee concerns about animal welfare and worker safety at SF Zoo, the director has given notice.
www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/z...

Stinson Beach gets first price tag for coping with sea level rise, and it's huge A new report spells out the price of adapting to major storms, rising tides and other risks that threaten to swamp most homes in the coming decades.

Marin County released its most comprehensive report addressing sea level rise in a coastal city, but one critic asks -- 'Should we spend $1.3 billion to adapt an area that is walking the plank?'

West Coast whale population plunges to lowest level since 1970s The number of gray whales that migrated past Central California is the smallest since federal protections began.

New - gray whales migrating north showing signs of stress from climate change. From @noaa.gov
www.sfchronicle.com/climate/arti...

Why San Francisco is euthanizing more stray dogs Shelter records are full of heartbreak in San Francisco. Last year, such cases propelled Animal Care and Control to the highest rate of euthanasia since 2013 — and it’s on track to worsen this...

My latest enterprise story is a difficult one, but the shelter community is working hard to try to find homes for these pups.

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/a...

Here’s what we know about the S.F. Zoo board that continues to support embattled CEO As city scrutiny of the San Francisco Zoo ramps up, the board of the nonprofit that runs it is under the spotlight — and several of its members have resigned.

New: The remaining 23 board members of the SF Zoological Society haven't spoken up about the latest controversies at the city-owned zoo, and a city official just called for their removal from the lease.

San Francisco auditors blast ‘uncooperative’ zoo in withering letter The San Francisco Zoo, dogged by controversy, is being audited by the city. The audit office says the zoo is failing to provide key documents.

Breaking new: S.F. office conducting audit of the San Francisco Zoo said CEO initially refused to comply and has provided financials that contract public tax documents, among other things.
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Yosemite contractor slammed for failings, like rodents at Ahwahnee bar Yosemite National Park’s major contractor, Aramark, received unusually poor performance grades in a newly available report from the park service.

Having recently dined at Base Camp Eatery can't say I'm shocked - from @kurtisalexander.bsky.social

www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

‘Complete embarrassment:’ S.F. officials decry leadership turmoil at zoo A San Francisco supervisor accused the zoo of not complying with a city audit, even as the zoo still hopes to get giant pandas from China.

My latest update on the S.F. Zoo.

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/z...

These native California creatures are unusually well adapted for climate change California’s native Olympia oysters survived the Gold Rush, pollution and more. They also appear unusually hardy in the face of global warming.

The tiny native oysters of San Francisco Bay managed to outlive the Gold Rush, bay-shore development and decades of punishing pollution. New research shows they have a fighting chance to survive global warming as well. www.sfchronicle.com/climate/arti... via @taraduggan.bsky.social

How We Photographed Coyotes in San Francisco

I got lots of questions from readers asking how photographer Loren Elliott got his incredible images of coyotes in San Francisco. Here’s how!
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/29/i...

S.F. Zoo CEO remains in power as leader of attempted ouster resigns A top San Francisco Zoo official who backed a plan to remove its controversial CEO resigned Tuesday, along with three board members this week.

Also new: from me and @michaelbarba.bsky.social

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/s...

These native California creatures are unusually well adapted for climate change California’s native Olympia oysters survived the Gold Rush, pollution and more. They also appear unusually hardy in the face of global warming.

Happy story alert

www.sfchronicle.com/climate/arti...

This story has one of the sadder ledes I've ever written. It's disturbing because gray whales are more at risk of getting hit by a ship or ferry in the bay, and it could be a sign that climate change is impacting their food source in the Arctic.
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Federal prison officials visited Alcatraz last week and plan to return Alcatraz is a prime San Francisco tourist site. But after President Trump ordered it to become a prison again, the Federal Bureau of Prisons is scoping it out.

Also, from last night: The Federal Bureau of Prisons appears to be taking seriously the idea of reinstating Alcatraz as a prison. Or acting as if.

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/a...

San Francisco Zoo board member resigns over lack of action on CEO San Francisco Zoo board member resigns over lack of action on CEO Tanya Peterson

New: the battle over leadership of the San Francisco Zoo continues. With @michaelbarba.bsky.social
www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/arti...

Feds arrest embattled Sonoma developer suspected of ‘Ponzi scheme’ that cost investors millions Federal prosecutors accused Sonoma real estate developer Kenneth Mattson of operating a sprawling Ponzi scheme.

BREAKING: Feds arrest embattled Sonoma developer suspected of ‘Ponzi scheme’ that cost investors millions www.sfchronicle.com/crime/articl...

Chronicle named Pulitzer Prize finalist for a pair of investigations The Chronicle was honored for uncovering the secret deals that hide police misconduct and documenting the deadly toll of police chases.

The San Francisco Chronicle was named a finalist Monday for two Pulitzer Prizes for investigations it published into different aspects of law enforcement.

Update: the Republican bill to remove ESA protections for longfin smelt in San Francisco Bay passed the House

Republicans may remove endangered species protection for tiny S.F. Bay fish Opponents say the move could set a dangerous precedent and is part of an effort to undermine the Endangered Species Act.

New: an attempt to undo the endangered species status of a tiny fish in San Francisco Bay is “undemocratic" according to @earthjustice.org. Other supporters of longfin smelt include @sfbaykeeper.bsky.social and @rephuffman.bsky.social
www.sfchronicle.com/climate/arti...

Relative of extinct blue butterfly released in San Francisco’s Presidio A group of scientists and volunteers released tiny Silvery blue butterflies in San Francisco’s Presidio in an effort to increase biodiversity.

Happy news at @presidiosf.bsky.social. A new story from me with lovely photos by @stephenlamphoto.bsky.social
www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/p...

Major new risk from frightening Cascadia earthquake fault A major earthquake on the Cascadia subduction zone could increase flooding risk significantly in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, study says.

New from me, in the not good news but still interesting and important department - a major earthquake could cause coastal areas to drop substantially and increase flood risk, according to a new study.

www.sfchronicle.com/california/a...

Surprise atmospheric rivers, toxic seafood: How NOAA cuts could impact California California research institutions could lose access to millions of dollars, which could impact atmospheric river forecasts and Coast Guard rescues.

Trump's proposed cuts to NOAA could decimate vital ocean science in California and impact lifesaving missions, food safety, weather forecasting and climate research - by @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social and @jackjlee.bsky.social

www.sfchronicle.com/weather/arti...

Science & Tech Spotlight: Deep-Sea Mining Deep-sea mining is the process of exploring the deep seabed and retrieving minerals like cobalt and manganese (used in things like rechargeable...

The US GAO website still mentions that consequences could include "the release of sediment plumes that contain toxic heavy metals, which could affect ecosystems and spread to other countries on ocean currents."

www.gao.gov/products/gao...

California bans seabed mining even though minerals could aid electric cars and clean energy Amid what one state lawmaker described as ‘existential threats’ to oceans and...

As Trump issues an executive order to explore deep-sea mining in untouched international waters, despite unknown risks and an international treaty, the seabed in California waters are protected from mining with a law passed in 2022.
www.sfchronicle.com/climate/arti...

San Francisco could ban popular type of glue trap San Francisco could have a ban on glue traps. Opponents say they are cruel and harm wildlife. But they also are inexpensive and can be effective.

Animal welfare advocates in San Francisco hope to ban a trap used for mice and rats that harms wildlife -- and that causes many people to use it to have regrets even when they catch their intended target.

www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/g...

‘Five-alarm fire’: Read the Trump proposal that could decimate climate research NOAA grants provide funding to nine cooperative institutions in California. Several branches of the agency could lose hundreds of millions of dollars.

ICYMI - a breakdown from @edwardsanthonyb.bsky.social about the proposed $1.7B cuts to NOAA - the folks charged with saving whales, predicting weather and monitoring climate change www.sfchronicle.com/weather/arti...

The Sacramento weather service office just sent an email detailing product changes amid "critically reduced staffing"
Highlights:
Phone lines no longer answered
Reduced staffing from 6pm to 6am
Forecast discussions issued only 1x/day
Limited social media posting
Advisories mainly issued by day shift