SANTA CRUZ ISLAND NATURAL HISTORY
From Islapedia
SANTA CRUZ ISLAND is the most biologically diverse of the California Channel Islands and is home to 12 endemic taxa. Four terrestrial vertebrates are endemic to Santa Cruz Island:
- * Santa Cruz Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis santacruzae);
- * Santa Cruz Island Scrub Jay (Aphelcoma coerulescens insularis)
- * Santa Cruz Island Harvest Mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis santacruzae)
- * Santa Cruz Island Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus santacruzae)
The Island Spotted Skunk (Spilogale gracilis amphialus) is endemic to several Channel Islands.
BOTANY: The flora of Santa Cruz Island includes about 488 native taxa, 46 California Islands endemics, and 191 non-native taxa for a total of 679 species.
| FAUNA: Santa Cruz Island | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| LAND MAMMALS | |||
| Santa Cruz Island Fox | Urocyon littoralis santacruzae | Endemic | |
| Santa Cruz Island Spotted Skunk | Spilogale gracilis amphialus | Endemic | |
| Santa Cruz Island Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus santacruzae | Endemic | |
| Santa Cruz Island Harvest Mouse | Reithrodontomys megalotis santacruzae | Endemic | |
| Feral Pig | Sus scropha | Introduced & Extirpated | |
| Domestic Cattle | Bos taurus | Introduced & Extirpated | |
| Domestic Sheep | Ovis aries | Introduced & Extirpated | |
| BATS | California Myotis | Myotis californicus | |
| Long-eared Myotis | Myotis evotis | ||
| Hoary Bat | Lasiurus cinereus | ||
| Red Bat | Lasiurus borealis | ||
| Mexican Free-tailed Bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | ||
| Pallid Bat | Antrozous pallidus | ||
| Townsend’s Big-eared Bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | ||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | ||
| Silver-haired bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | ||
| Western Mastiff Bat | Eumops perotis | ||
| MARINE MAMMALS | |||
| California Sea Lion | Zalophus californianus | ||
| Harbor Seal | Phoca vitulina | ||
| Northern Elephant Seal | Mirounga angustirostris | ||
| AMPHIBIANS | |||
| Pacific Slender Salamander | Batrachoseps pacificus | ||
| Black Belly Salamander | Batrachoseps nigriventris | ||
| Pacific Treefrog | Hyla regilla | ||
| REPTILES | |||
| Side-Blotched Lizard | Uta stansburiana | ||
| Western Fence Lizard | Sceloporus occidentalis | ||
| Southern Alligator Lizard | Elgaria multicarinatus | ||
| Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake | Pituophis catenifer pumilis | ||
| Western Yellow-bellied Racer | Coluber constrictor mormon | ||
| San Diego Night Snake | Hypsiglena ochrorhyncha klauberi | 1 record, 1939 | |
