>
>Could that be because the growth of population around here (people) is
>astronomical, destroying their habitat?

California is suffering from the same syndrome than the once rich and
luxuriant mediterranean basin .
It  goes with certainty toward desertification recently accelerated further
by irrigation that deplete the underground water system. There is more and
more peoples and less and less of total biomass to support them. That is the
byproduct of cheap supermarket foods.

jean-claude