We had a mountain lion sighting on the trail recently, immediately east of the rookery pond boardwalk. There have been other recent sightings in Hidden Valley and elsewhere. It appears obvious now that we have a lion spending some time at the Reserve.

Reminders have been posted on the trails and in the Visitor Center about the presence of a mountain lion. There is also literature available at the information desk. When out on the trail safety always come first, so please:

• Hike in groups.
• Do not approach a lion.
• Do not run from a lion.
• Stand and face the animal, make eye contact and appear large.
• Raise your hands, be loud. Throw stones, branches.
• Do not crouch down or bend over.

Please report any potential and confirmed sightings of lions to the Visitor Center. Give a detailed description of the event including the time and location of the sighting, and a good physical description of the animal and it's behavior. If you want to learn more about mountain lions you can check them out on the Slough Life section of our website.

PS - This lion in this article was not photographed in Elkhorn Slough.

If you are a lover of the slough's feathered friends you'll want to join us May 6th for a walk guided by expert birder Rick Fournier. As we walk the Reserve grounds, Rick will help you spot a variety of birds, give tips on how to find them and identify the birds by sight and sound. Binoculars and snacks will be provided, and plenty of fun is sure to be had by beginning birders and experts alike.

This free event is for ESF members as a way to thank you for supporting our work. You can sign up for the event here. If you are interested in this walk but aren't yet a member, sign up for membership today!

This month the film Otter 501 premieres in theaters all over the country. If you've paddled the slough, perhaps you've already met the titular character? Otter 501 was rescued by the Sea Otter Research and Conservation (SORAC) program at Monterey Bay Aquarium after being orphaned by a big storm, and once rehabilitated she was released back into the wild waters of Elkhorn Slough. She is still here, hanging out in Parsons Slough with many mom and pup pairs foraging on Washington clams.

You can meet this tiny furry otter and share her story too. The film will start showing in Monterey at the Osio starting May 11th, and in Santa Cruz at the Nickleodeon starting May 18th. The film features some stunning photography - much of which was filmed right here at Elkhorn Slough.

ESF and ESNERR want to thank the thirty volunteers who pitched in to help clean roads and areas around the slough on County-wide Clean-up Day. Your extraordinary efforts made this day a huge success. How huge, you ask? Well...

• You filled a 30-yard dumpster with garbage you collected
• You removed an additional 1,000 lbs of tires, including a HUGE tractor tire
• You doggedly heaved mattresses, couches, chairs, TVs, and even old used oil - a hazardous waste - out of our watershed
• You separated out the recyclables
• You did it with big grins on your faces

In all you put in nearly 100 volunteer hours to make the slough a better place. It was a nice surprise to see less trash along Elkhorn Road this year than in past years as well. You've made the slough a healthier place to live and work--so thanks!

We have new merchandise in the Visitor Center, from practical household items to whimsical mementos of your visit. Take a look and tell us what you think of the new items we're selling!

You can join REI Marina and Elkhorn Slough Foundation for habitat restoration and trail maintenance projects on June 2nd. Volunteers will get to work on one of two projects in Elkhorn: protecting the Reserve's Long Valley Trail from the damaging effects of wandering cattle by repairing and installing fences; OR helping clear trail corridors to improve guided public access on nearby ESF-conserved properties.

For more information or to register, contact REI Marina Outreach Specialist Ellie Kincade, hkincad@rei.com or (831) 883-8048 x 203. You can also register online.

President Obama proclaims Fort Ord our nation's newest National Monument, less than 20 miles south of Elkhorn Slough.

On April 20th President Barack Obama proclaimed 14,600 acres of federal land at Fort Ord to be the nation's newest national monument, calling the former Army base "a world-class destination for hikers, mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts who come to enjoy the area's history and scenic landscapes." Fort Ord is already a hub of activity for outdoor recreation, and this addition will allow many more residents and visitors to fully access and enjoy the best sources of health; clean air and exercise. We are thrilled to see more land being preserved on California's central coast just 20 miles away from the Elkhorn Slough.

Besides having miles of trails for recreationists, the Fort Ord lands are "one of the few remaining places in the world where large expanses of coastal scrub and live oak woodland and savanna habitat, mixed with rare vernal pools, exist in a contiguous, interconnected landscape," the White House proclamation said. The central coast of California has long been recognized for its temperate climate, beautiful coast line, fertile soils and culturally diverse residents, and the Fort Ord National Monument elevates all of these natural attributes and makes the region more visible to the entire world.

And in case you were wondering, a National Monument is a protected area that is similar to a National Park, except that the President of the United States can quickly declare an area of the United States to be a National Monument without the approval of Congress. National monuments receive less funding and afford fewer protections to wildlife than national parks. The power to grant national monuments comes from the Antiquities Act of 1906: President Theodore Roosevelt used the act to declare Devils Tower in Wyoming as the first national monument. He thought Congress was moving too slowly and it would be ruined by the time they made it a national park.