CATALINA ISLAND's "BIG" FIVE ANIMALS

Did you know that there are bison, horse, antelope, foxes, and rare birds living on Catalina island? These special animals all have a unique story of how their ancestors made it to the island. At one point there were wild boar, but they have all been removed from the island due to their bad behavior (very destructive). There are about 8 variations of snakes and at least 3 types of snails. Of course, the water animals count with a harbor seal, sea lion, and elephant seal on occasion. Keep your eyes peeled on your way to the island you might pass a few dolphins or flying fish! In addition to the dozens of colorful birds, there is a resident peregrine falcon policing the beaches to keep the seagulls at bay.

Animals have a rich history on the island with statues memorializing Old Ben the sea lion on Crescent Ave or at the museum you will learn about carrier pigeons were common for getting news across the channel. The bison are descendants of movie stars, having been left after a movie film in 1972. For a complete list of animals on the island check out the Catalina Conservancy’s website.

If you are interested in seeing any of these animals in person there are multiple ways to tour the backcountry. Click here for all your options. 

Enjoy finding these animals and more along the coasts, in the interior, and in the sky! Catalina has a diverse local population of animals to enjoy and discover.Here are the Catalina top five animals to keep your eye out for!

Bison might be fluffy, but they are not your cute backyard friends. This bison herd arrived back in 1924 to star in the Hollywood black and whites.  After completing their roles as extras and discovering they had an island to explore, they were impossible to round up. In 1972, the Catalina Conservancy, that protects and cares for the island, accepted responsibility of the herd and maintaining a balance between bison and nature. “A primary consideration in this balance is the size of the herd. Based upon previous scientific study, the Conservancy has determined that the Island can support a healthy bison population of no more than 150 individuals. To counter a growing herd size, the Conservancy initiated a contraception program in 2009 as a cost effective and humane approach to maintaining the bison population at sustainable levels. This program has been extremely successful and no additional bison calves have been born since 2013. Contraception halted temporarily in 2015 and the Conservancy hopes to see bison calves on the Island again soon!” Yay for bison babies! (Source: Catalina Conservancy)

The Catalina Island fox has been on the island for 5,400-7,000 years making it one of the islands and California’s oldest families. Don’t let anyone tell you they are naughty, they truly are a unique and special breed of locals. Their relatives live on the other Channel Islands but the theory is the Catalina foxes came across on debris or with indigenous people. These little guys are descendants of some tough foxes! Weighing in at a maximum of 4 lbs the fluffy creatures are actually the largest native animal on the island. What we love about these little guys are their family structures. Mom and dad stay together and their pups are absolutely adorable!

Catlaina Island almost lost the foxes permanently to extinction a few years ago. A team of “fox definders” had to re-create a natural island by tackling many problems to save the foxes. This included partnering with scientists for breeding, hunters for removing the wild pigs, and helicopters for tracking down and relocating the golden eagles (who liked to eat both pigs and foxes). The way everyone came together to save the fox was truly incredible. Thanks to their hard work the fox has come off the endangered list and is now just being monitored. Remember – when you bring your dog to the island, locals might ask you about their shots – but this is only to protect the foxes from diseases and keep their healthy numbers up!

The island has a pretty amazing and diverse sky population. With the array of colorful birds visiting the island the most impressive name to top the list is the Bald Eagle. These birds have a long tradition of living on the island and protecting the foxes (well, keeping the golden eagles away). After WWII and the DDT causing their eggs to break the bald eagle population died. Without them, chaos ensured on the island causing the foxes to near extension by golden eagles. The bald eagle needed to be re-introduced. The current bald eagle family is now protected and accessible by live cam.

Today, the Conservancy which protects all wildlife on the island watches over the new eggs and sends a brave climber out to get the new eggs. “After two decades without an eagle sighting on Catalina Island, the Conservancy initially helped to fund the Bald Eagle Restoration Program in 1980. A new generation of adult eagles began laying eggs in Catalina nests in 1987, but the eggs all broke before hatching. Analyses showed that the eggs had record levels of DDT contamination, indicating that DDT was still in the environment.”  The eggs are incubated for a little while and returned to the happy parents when ready! The story of the bald eagle ends on a happy note with the wild birds soaring the skies above Catalina island and now able to hatch their own eggs, showing that their entire lines are healthier and happier.

These speedy water mammals can reach up to 25mph and delight visitors with their playful behaviors. Divers delight at the opportunity to play with these natural divers below the water! They like to interact and will investigate underwater visitors. Their friendly “bark” can annoy people, but it is really a call from one family member to another. Just remember that bark when your mom is calling you – could sound worse!

Old Ben welcomed guests on shore and by water in the late 1800s. This playful pup is now a part of Catalina history with “Old Ben Park” by the ferry. Big Ben (then Old Ben) would swim with visitors at the beach and let children feed/play on him.

“Ben made friends with everyone. Although he was always social and friendly, he was not above a fondness for playing pranks.  A daily prank that he enjoyed was played out on a small tour boat that cruised around the bay. Hiding out of sight until the last passenger had boarded, Ben would suddenly propel his huge bulk out of the water, making a torrential splash, roaring his distinctive bark and dousing the surprised passengers with seawater.  He seemed to delight in the screams and laughter coming from the boat. He was quite friendly, posing for photos, hauling out of the water and waddling along the beachfront making friends and looking for any handouts.” (Source: Love Catalina)

The Orange-crowned Warbler breeds widely over western and northern North America, and east across Canada. There are four recognized subspecies of this warbler. There is only one of them that is endemic to the Channel Islands and reaches its highest density on Santa Catalina Island. This little green bird is specific to the channel islands and especially Catalina Island. One note of caution, watch where you step! The little birds nest along the ground or in shrubs not very high. This makes sense as there are not many trees on the island and they are safe from larger birds. You might not see them, but you can hear them. What we love about these little birds is their organized songfests. They learn to mimic each other in their “neighborhood” and can sing a similar tune for many years. These songs become indicative of their area. This reminds us of a famous Catalina song!  (Source: Catalina Island Conservancy)