Bill to Promote Wildlife Coexistence Passes Legislature, Goes to Governor
SB 1135 establishes a statewide program to reduce conflicts, keep people and animals safe, protect property and promote biodiversity
SACRAMENTO – The Senate on Wednesday passed legislation by Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, D-Encinitas, to establish a statewide program promoting coexistence with wildlife and codify a wolf-livestock coexistence and compensation program, and sent it to the Governor to sign.
Wildlife coexistence programs educate and support community and property owner efforts to reduce and remove attractants like trash and food. The programs help people keep a safe distance, implement methods proven to actively deter conflicts and promote wild animals’ instincts to stay wild.
SB 1135 would re-establish a statewide wildlife coexistence program that ended in 2024 after three years when funding for it expired. Among other things, the program deployed trained regional human-wildlife conflict staff around the state.
In an Assembly informational hearing in January, agency and department leaders acknowledged that the absence of this effort is being felt acutely across urban, suburban and rural California. Over the last five years, wildlife incident reports logged by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) increased by 31 percent and calls, emails and field contacts rose by 58 percent.
Recent headlines have illustrated the problem, with stories of a bear living under a Los Angeles home, wolves becoming habituated to livestock in Northern California and a mountain lion showing up in a San Francisco park.
“We need a wildlife coexistence program in California, so we can better protect communities, people and animals, both wild and domesticated,” Sen. Blakespear said. “SB 1135 minimizes conflict with wildlife by using thoughtful, proactive strategies that are science-based, situation-specific, non-lethal and proactive.”
The legislation is sponsored by the National Wildlife Federation and the Defenders of Wildlife, and it is supported by more than two dozen diverse organizations, including Audubon California, California State Association of Counties, TomKat Ranch, Natural Resources Defense Council and the San Diego Humane Society.
SB 1135 passed the Assembly last week and the Senate on concurrence Wednesday. It now goes to the Governor for his consideration.
Last year, Sen. Blakespear passed legislation (SB 427) that extended funding to acquire, restore and enhance wildlife habitats across the state. She also fought to overturn budget cuts that would have eliminated hundreds of positions from CDFW and undermined state efforts to conserve land and habitat.
Sen. Blakespear represents Senate District 38, which covers northern San Diego County and southern Orange County. To learn more about the district and Sen. Blakespear, visit her Senate website.
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