| Calendar |
For more information on all of these Conservancy events, and more, click here.
September 27 - October 2
Las Caballeras Catalina Ride
Saturday, November 5
27th Annual Catalina Island Triathlon
Thursday, November 10,
Conservation and Education Symposium, Office of the Chancellor, Cal State Long Beach, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach
Saturday, February 25, 2012
31st Annual Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup
April 2012Earth Day on Catalina
Date/Location to be announced
Saturday, April 14, 2012
17th Annual Catalina Island Conservancy Ball. Ticket sales begin February 1, 2012
May 4 - 6, 2012
2nd Annual Santa Catalina Island Film Festival
June 22 - 23, 2012
2nd Annual Catalina:
The Wild Side Art Show and Sale
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Catalina Island Conservancy Marathon
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Catalina Island Conservancy Half Marathon
AIRPORT IN THE SKY
Second Saturdays Historic Aircr aft Display Day at Airport in the Sky VOLUNTEER
Thursdays
7:30 a.m. to noonVolunteer at the James H. Ackerman Native Plant NurseryVolunteers@catalinaconservancy.org Second Saturdays Windward Beaches CleanupTo check out the complete Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce events calendar, click HERE.
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Greetings!
A photo-tour through Catalina's endemic creatures this month highlights some of the Island's signature flora and fauna. But in the spirit of this "Witching Month" of October, Conservancy Chief of Conservation and Science Officer Carlos de la Rosa also reaches into the Island's cobwebbed corners for some unknown and unique endemic creepy-crawlies. This month's Photo Gallery features some endemics hiding under rocks, literally and figuratively.
This month's story roundup includes a look toward the Island's bison roundup next month as well as an update on Education Director Frank Hein's eco-training sessions with Island groups.
Banner photo:
This superb view of Shark Harbor, with Little Harbor in the background, depicts Catalina Island on an atmospheric autumn day.
Photo by Jack Baldelli
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PHOTO GALLERY
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SIGNATURE CRITTERS TO RAREST OF THE RARE:
Catalina Island's Endemic Species
Text, photos by Carlos de la Rosa, Chief Conservation/Science Officer
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The large subspecies known as the Catalina Beechey ground squirrel (beecheyi Nesioticus) is found on the Island and nowhere else.
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Hiking along the trails in the wildlands of Catalina Island exposes us to species that thrive here and nowhere else in the world. At first sight, they all look familiar, like seeing close siblings of someone you know -- the family resemblance is evident. However...
Catalina has more than 60 species of plants and animals that exist here and nowhere else in the world. These are our endemic species. Some, shown in this gallery, are charismatic and highly recognizable, like the petit and beautifully colored Catalina Island fox, and the strangely attractive Catalina live-forever. Others, like the Catalina stick insect look like, well, a dry stick, not only easy to miss but easier to dismiss as unimportant. But they are important, in ways we often don't realize. MORE.
See the photo gallery HERE.
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FROM THE FIELD
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BISON ROUNDUP COMING IN NOVEMBER
Ensuring a Sustainable Population
By Bob Rhein
 | | A female bison literally leaps from the squeeze in Cape Canyon after having DNA samples taken during the 2009 bison roundup. Photo by Carlos de la Rosa |
Rounding up Catalina Island's largest wild beasts is a concerted effort that's nothing like herding "little dogies" into a pen. The bison roundup, tentatively scheduled for November, is supplementing a similar 2009 event during which initial inoculations of the non-hormonal contraception vaccine,porcine zona pellucida (PZP), would not work on female bison that were already pregnant. This new bison dragnet will likely capture most of those females that were then with calf and probably a few others that might have evaded the 2009 procedure. PZP stimulates the bison's immune system to produce antibodies that prevent conception. MORE.
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| FROM THE FIELD |
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ANNUAL FOX TRAPPING UNDER WAY
Conservancy Watch: A Continuing Eco-Success Story By Bob Rhein
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This over-the-shoulder view of Senior Wildlife Biologist Julie King shows her performing a field workup on a Catalina Island fox during the 2010 trapping event. Photo by Carlos de la Rosa
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Conservancy wildlife biologists Julie King and Calvin Duncan are once again out in the Island's interior, setting traps for the Catalina Island fox from the East End of the Island to the West End. The annual fox-trapping event allows the biologists to weigh the foxes, give them a tooth exam and check for ear mites, fleas, ticks or other parasites. The foxes are also inoculated for canine distemper and rabies.
Young pups receive pit tags just under their skin for positive identification. Select foxes receive radio collars for weekly monitoring from the air. MORE. |
| FROM THE FIELD |
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CONSERVANCY BIOLOGISTS PROVIDE EXPERTISE
City of Avalon and Zip Line Projects Studied
The Conservancy lent its expertise recently to two important community projects, one for the City of Avalon and another being undertaken by the Island Company.
For the City, Conservancy biologists provided expertise to the Pebbly Beach Road Stabilization Project, which aims to open up its namesake roadway to businesses and residences south of Avalon Bay and Lovers Cove. Work for the Island Company focused on an important evacuation trail for the Zip Line Eco Tour. MORE.
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NEWS HEADLINES
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NATURALIST TRAINING IN DEMAND!
Frontline Staff Enjoying "News They Can Use"
By Bob Rhein
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Zip Line operator Andrew Hobbs is among those who learned about Catalina natural history from the Conservancy's training. Photo by Bob Rhein
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Island business people find that the new Naturalist Training Program launched this summer by the Conservancy provides them with a great variety of insights on the known and relatively unknown natural environment of this amazing Island.
Tour operators, merchants, and interested residents are enthused about Conservancy Education Director Frank Hein's sessions offering them "nature news that they can use" as they satisfy the equally natural curiosities of many of the nearly 1 million annual Island visitors. The Naturalist Training provides dozens of answers through engaging stories, unique tidbits and group interaction to reinforce knowledge and dispel myths. MORE. |
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GETTING THE WORD TO SCIENTISTS
Conservancy's Biologists Present Papers
Two Conservancy biologists presented papers and a third exhibited a Catalina-specific poster in September at the prestigious Medecos XII conference on the ecology, biodiversity and conservation of Mediterranean-climate ecosystems.
Speaking the first full week of September at this year's Medecos venue, UCLA, Conservancy Chief Conservation and Science Officer Carlos de la Rosa and Senior Plant Biologist John Clark presented Island-specific issues to a high-level international conservation audience while Plant Ecologist Sarah Ratay presented a poster detailing mule deer impact and post-fire regeneration on Catalina. MORE.
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PARTICIPATE
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"SECRET CATALINA ISLAND"
Stories behind the Research Team's Investigations
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The rare Catalina mountain mahogany is emblematic of Secret Catalina: The Stories Behind the Research on November 10. Photo by Jack Baldelli
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Join the Conservancy and its partners for an exciting day of photo-rich presentations of scientific exploration the morning of Thursday, Nov. 10, in the Chancellor's Office at California State University, Long Beach, 401 Golden Shore, Long Beach. Secret Catalina: Stories Behind the Scenes will include breakfast snacks and lunch. To register for the event, contact Manager of Special Events Jen Poyer at the Conservancy: jpoyer@catalinaconservancy.org. |
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PARTICIPATE
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27TH ANNUAL CATALINA ISLAND TRIATHLON:
"Swim It, Bike It, Run It. . . Tri- It!"
The 27th annual Catalina Island Triathlon will be held on Saturday, Nov. 5, in Avalon. One of the longest-running, multi-sport events in the United States, it's also one of the most scenic and rugged of such events. For registration forms, visit Conservancy House in Avalon or click HERE.
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| PARTICIPATE | PLEIN ART PAINTINGS AT NATURE CENTER
Artists' Interpretation of the Conservancy Legacy
 | | Her Lair above the Cliffs by Kenn Backhaus is among the paintings on view in the Nature Center at Avalon Canyon. Photo by Bob Rhein |
Ten plein air artworks depicting Catalina Island scenery are now available for viewing in the Nature Center at Avalon Canyon. These initial works, displayed by the Conservancy to provide Island residents and visitors with a visual legacy of the restoration of the Island, can be viewed by clicking HERE.
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| PARTICIPATE | EXCURSION: SANTA BARBARA ISLAND
Exploring California's Channel Islands
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This western pygmy blue butterfly (Brephidium exile), which measures a scant half-inch between wingtips, was photographed on Santa Barbara Island. Photo by Philip Lindquist
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A beautiful day cruising at sea and hiking and exploring on Santa Barbara Island was experienced by 52 Conservancy members and friends on September 18 during this year's annual trek in the Exploring California's Channel Islands series. The trip across the channel from Ventura Harbor was smooth, and several pods of various types of dolphins and a variety of sea birds provided a natural escort. MORE.
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| PARTICIPATE | LEADERSHIP CIRCLE VISITS LANDMARK
Former Wrigley Home Figured in Catalina History  | |
From left, Linda Massey, Leslie Baer, Kristi Clarkson and Blanny Avalon Hagenah tour the Tournament of Roses HQ in Pasadena. Photo by Jack Baldelli
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The Conservancy's Leadership Circle members and guests visited the former Pasadena home of Ada and William Wrigley, Jr., on Sunday, August 21, for a tour through a place of mainland significance in Catalina Island history.
The beautiful house, which was deeded to the city of Pasadena in 1958, serves today as the Pasadena Tournament of Roses headquarters. MORE.
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