The northern Channel Islands were formed by folding and faulting linked to colliding crustal plates over the past 30 million years, and they also preserve evidence of undersea lava flows dating 15 to 19 million years ago. Because of millions of years of isolation from the mainland, the islands developed a unique group of plants and animals, earning the comparison to the North American Galapagos. The five islands of Channel Islands National Park are home to the Santa Cruz Island scrub jay, island fox, island spotted skunk, and 71 other endemic plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Threatened and endangered species including the California brown pelican, western snowy plover, island fox, and island night lizard live and reproduce on the remote islands, along with more than 50 rare or endangered plant species. The islands and marine sanctuary lie in a nutrient-rich transition zone where cold North Pacific waters meet warmer southern currents, supporting kelp forests, fish, invertebrates, dolphins, whales, nesting seabirds, seals, and sea lions. Anacapa Island, a mostly volcanic chain of three closely spaced islets totaling 700 acres and stretching five miles, was sighted by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542 and later called Las Mesitas by Gaspar de Portola in 1769. Its steep cliffs, seabird nesting sites, endangered California brown pelican rookeries, Arch Rock, and lighthouse history reflect its natural and maritime importance. Santa Cruz Island shows evidence of human presence more than 10,000 years ago, and early Chumash established permanent settlements on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel Islands while using Anacapa and Santa Barbara seasonally for hunting and fishing. Santa Cruz, the largest island in the chain, is divided by a major fault, has mountainous terrain, deep canyons, sea caves, and reef systems, and is also home to the rare island fox. Channel Islands National Park and the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary were established in 1980 to protect the islands, surrounding waters, marine life, and cultural artifacts, while ecological reserves near Anacapa and Santa Barbara help restore depleted marine populations.
