What to see: Santa Rosa has several rare plants, some of
which are found nowhere else in the world. It also is home to
the endemic island fox and the spotted skunk. The sandy beaches
and cliffs are breeding and resting areas for sea birds and seals
and sea lions. Archeological and paleontological sites are abundant
on the island. In 1994, the world's most complete skeleton of
a pygmy mammoth, a dwarf species related to the Columbian mammoths,
was excavated on Santa Rosa. Today, paleontologists continue to
discover more sites with the remains of these Pleistocene-era
animals.
What to do: Hiking, camping, attending naturalist-led hikes, kayaking, fishing, SCUBA diving, snorkeling, surfing, boating and wildlife watching are frequent activities. Along with a ranger one may explore tidepools and midden sites (Chumash trash heaps).
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