Amphibian and Reptile Checklists of the United States

Farallon National Wildlife Refuge and Near Shore Waters

Newark, California

FARALLON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

President Theodore Roosevelt established Farallon National Wildlife Refuge in 1909. The Refuge originally consisted of North, Middle and part of South Farallon Islands, about 30 to 40 miles west of San Francisco. In 1969 the Refuge expanded to include Southeast Farallon Island, the site of an automated navigation light house administered by the U.S. Coast Guard. Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service protects 211 acres as essential habitat for marine wildlife and endangered species. All but Southeast Farallon Island have also been designated a Wilderness Area.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service objectives are to protect and manage the seabird and marine mammal populations of the Farallon National Wildlife Refuge and allow them to recover from over a century of abuse. Seal hunting, egg harvesting, oil spills, and gill netting have degraded the habitat and imperiled the islands' wildlife. Some species, including the northern elephant seal, are well on the way to recovery. Others, such as the common murre, will need more time.

In order to protect these sensitive populations from disturbance, access to the Refuge is strictly limited. On occasion, wildlife biologists are granted access to conduct management-related research. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service only considers those uses that are compatible with the purposes of the Refuge, and which will further the protection and management of wildlife resources. Scientists from the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, working in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, maintain a constant presence on the Refuge, conduct research, monitor the wildlife, and report trespass violations.

Special boating restrictions around as of the Farallon Islands include year-round speed (5 nautical mph) and noise restrictions within 1000 feet of all of the islands. Between March 15 and August 15, a seasonal period encompassing the breeding season, vessel traffic is prohibited within 300 feet (one football field length) of most of the islands. Contact the Refuge for more details.

Farallon National Wildlife Refuge is a unit of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex, with headquarters in Fremont, California. It is located within the boundary of Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.

WILDLIFE OF THE FARALLON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE AND NEARSHORE WATERS

Farallon National Wildlife Refuge supports the largest and most diverse seabird rookery on the Pacific coast south of Alaska. Over 200,000 seabirds frequent this chain of rocky islands,and 12 species breed there. A vast number of other bird species visit the islands, often many miles outside of their normal ranges. A host of marine mammals, including the threatened Steller sea lion, either haul out on the islands or cruise by. One hundred two species of fishes and several species of marine turtles, including the endangered green and leatherback turtles, swim near the islands.

This wildlife list, which includes 501 species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, was compiled using data assembled over a period of many years of research. Scientists from the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supplied species names and relative abundances.

HOW TO USE THIS SPECIES LIST

This guide lists seasonal frequencies for all species of wildlife, with the exception of the fishes (for which seasonal data are not available - annual abundances only are indicated); species are listed in taxonomic order. Relative abundance, and status for each species are indicated as follows:

# - Endangered/Threatened
* - Currently breeds
^ - Has bred in past
+ - Last recorded prior to 1900
A - (Abundant)- Very numerous
C - (Common)- Often seen in suitable habitat
U - (Uncommon)- Present, but not often seen
S - (Stray)- Unpredictable, occurring beyond the species' identified range; has been seen 
    at least once on Southeast Farallon Island.
Spr. - Spring
Sum. - Summer
Fall. - Fall
Wnt. - Winter

AMPHIBIANS

SALAMANDERS                                  Spr.     Sum.     Fall     Wnt.

___  Farallons Aboreal Salamander             C        U        U        C

REPTILES

TURTLES                                      Spr.     Sum.     Fall     Wnt.

___ Leatherback Turtle                        -        -        U        -
___ Green Turtle                              -        -        S        -

For more information about Farallon NWR, contact:

                      Project Leader
                      S.F. Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
                      P.O. Box 524
                      Newark, California 94560      
                      Telephone: 701/792-0222

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