Santa Cruz Island - Wildlife

Wildlife

Introduced and invasive species on Santa Cruz Island include:

  • Golden Eagle (invader), which replaced the native bald eagle, and hunted island foxes to threatened status.
  • Fennel (introduced), served as cover for Island Foxes, but as forage for the feral pigs.
  • Feral Pigs (introduced), displaced native island foxes.
  • Santa Cruz sheep

Native species include:

  • Island Scrub-jay
  • Hoffman's rockress, which is known only from Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands.
  • Island manzanita and whitehair manzanita, shrubs which are endemic to Santa Cruz Island.
  • Island fence lizard, endemic to the Channel Islands of California

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