She reports that the original 14 bison were brought to the island in 1924 by a film crew working on a silent movie. The footage with the animals wound up on the cutting room floor, but decades later the bison's offspring still roam on Catalina. They once reached about 600 in number.

The conservancy is trying to reduce the annual growth of the herd from nearly 10 percent to 4 percent -- about equal to the mortality rate -- and has embarked on a birth control program that uses a vaccine for the females. That could avert having to ship excess animals off the island by stabilizing the numbers.

Read more about it in today's story headlined "Reining in the herd".

(And be sure to check out the accompanying online photo gallery.)

Photo above: The Catalina Island Conservancy is introducing a contraception plan for its female bison with a vaccine that will control the buffalo population. A male bison waits in a holding pen before the vets and scientists put it through a series of pens to draw DNA. (Scott Varley/Staff Photographer)

Here it is, that time of year again. Already. 

The first of several pets-with-santa photo sessions takes place this Saturday (Nov. 21) to benefit the Peter Zippi Fund for Animals.

It all happens at the VCA Coast Animal Hospital, 1560 Pacific Coast Highway, in Hermosa Beach. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bring your pets to pose for a professional photo session with Santa. Photos can be loaded onto CDs or used to make unique, one-of-a-kind holiday greeting cards.

The $15 donation supports the Peter Zippi Fund's work with homeless animals.

I don't know who will be playing Santa. But good luck to you, sir.

(Photo from Dogster )

So here's some update info on last night's trio of meetings regarding dog- and park-related issues in the South Bay:

• Redondo Beach: Dog owners probably face an uphill battle to get the City Council there to overturn or relax a longtime ban on canines in that city's parks, according to a post this morning on the Daily Breeze Pipeline blog by Kristin Agostoni, our reporter who covered the meeting. Discussion was in response to two petitions calling for a change to the 1979 city ordinance that forbids dogs (leashed or otherwise) in municipal parks other than the designated off-leash dog park on Flagler & 190th. Councilman Bill Brand and Mayor Mike Gin raised the matter which now goes to the the city's Parks and Recreation Commission after a 4-1 vote moving it forward for more study last night. Commissioners will consider changing the rule for Czuleger Park only for now, perhaps as a pilot? But opposition remains strong to changing the citywide law, with Councilman Steve Aspel saying this: "Someone's leaving a thousand turds a day on top of the Esplanade. Ask our public works department." And there was this from Councilman Pat Aust, who cast the only dissenting vote:  "Parks are for people and kids. Zoos are for animals." **********(Read Kristin's follow-up story in Thursday's Daily Breeze.)
• Manhattan Beach: Council members there voted 4-1 to approve (with changes to the original proposal) an $18,200 off-leash dog run at Polliwog Park. It would be the city's third such spot, following similar set-ups at Live Oak and Marine Avenue parks.
• Rancho Palos Verdes: Bruce and Maureen Megowan report a generally positive response to proposals for dog parks at Lower Hesse Park and/or Grandview Park at last night's RPV City Council meeting. (See the full report and recap on Maureen Megowan's blog.) Council members authorized spending $50,000 to hire a designer to flesh out the proposed park designs (which  include other elements besides a dog park), but they stressed that this was only a "first step" and not a commitment to impelment the designs. The Megowans also raised questions about the proposed size of the dog parks (relatively small as drawn, I gather), adding that research shows the most successful (and safest) parks include at least 3 acres -- 2 acres for large dogs and 1 acre for a separate small dog space. There are still homeowner objections to address, however, and none of this will probably be a slam dunk. But other cities on The Hill reportedly are  entertaining proposals to establish a dog park as well, according to the Megowans. (Two suggested dog park sites were turned down by Rolling Hills Estates at a meeting this week, though, I'm told. But discussions continue on the possibility of using part of the PV Landfill area in that city.)

Email mmegowan@cox.net for more information.  

So, nothing firm on any of these proposals yet, but stay tuned.

• Redondo Beach City Council, in response to a citizens' petition, will start talks about allowing leashed dogs in Czulegar Park. City codes currently prohibit canines (leashed or otherwise) in all RB parks, with the exception of the designated off-leash dog park adjacent to Dominguez Park. If the council agrees, the issue would likely go to the Parks and Recreation Commission for review. Tonight's meeting is at 6 p.m. at 415 Diamond St. (Streaming video of the meeting is available from the city's Web site.)
• Manhattan Beach leaders will consider an off-leash dog run for sprawling Polliwog Park. If approved, the $18,200 run would be the city's third such spot, following similar set-ups at Live Oak and Marine Avenue parks. Tonight's meeting is at 6:30 p.m. in City Hall, 1400 Highland Ave. (Go to the city's Web site for information on how to view the meeting via cable or computer.)
• Rancho Palos Verdes City Council will weigh plans for improvements at Grandview Park and Lower Hesse Park, with both proposals including a possible fenced-in, off-leash dog park. (See our separate post below  for more details.) Mayor Larry Clark also will give a presentation on the need for a dog park on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at Fred Hesse Community Park, 29301 Hawthorne Blvd. (You can also view a broadcast of the meeting on the city's Web site.)

If you live in these areas and care about the issue, you might want to attend one of the meetings in person to lend your voice to the discussion in public comment. And let us know if you attended any of the sessions. We'll have follows on the outcome of the meetings in the Daily Breeze.