Environmental Action at Edison: Protection & Preservation

Our utility continues to expand and upgrade its infrastructure to meet the growing need for power. Thanks to the insights and commitment of our staff biologists, we are able to ensure the safety of native snakes, lizards, frogs and other reptiles and amphibians, while preserving their native ecosystems.

Interested in learning more? Visit Herpetology World, our virtual theme park with attractions such as Protect That Critter and the Weird World of the Ectothermic.

Once plentiful in California, the desert tortoise — Gopherus agassizii — used to be a common backyard pet. But the population of the official California state reptile has shrunk more than 90%, leaving only about 100,000 remaining in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. While upgrading transmission lines in San Bernardino County, Calif., our utility, Southern California Edison, took extra precautions to protect this threatened species.

Many birds are attracted to power lines, and often perch and nest on utility poles and towers. This puts them at risk of electrocution if they make contact with certain electrical components. Since 1988, our utility has operated an avian-protection program to protect endangered, migratory and other birds from electrocution, while also preventing power outages that can be caused by birds.

In this interactive training course, you play the role of a utility biologist. Your mission is to investigate the whereabouts of a golden eagle being tracked by the Bureau of Land Management.  Along the way, you’ll see the many steps we take to protect birds. You’ll also learn about the native bird species, habitats and ecosystems of Southern California, and the laws that help protect them.