KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of marine protected areas

Learn the wildlife of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

CA

930 species have research-grade observations in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, from fish and seabirds to the life along the shore.

The waters around five of the Channel Islands, off Santa Barbara and Ventura.

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Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis346
  2. Western Gull Larus occidentalis206
  3. Brandt's Cormorant Urile penicillatus172
  4. Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata110
  5. Black-vented Shearwater Puffinus opisthomelas107
  6. Cocos Booby Sula brewsteri107
  7. Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba91
  8. Sooty Shearwater Ardenna grisea86
  9. Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani70
  10. Pink-footed Shearwater Ardenna creatopus47

Plants

  1. Giant coreopsis Leptosyne gigantea45
  2. Crystalline ice plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum14
  3. Greene's dudleya Dudleya greenei13
  4. Dead Man's Fingers Codium fragile10
  5. Santa Cruz Island wild buckwheat Eriogonum arborescens10
  6. Torrey's Surfgrass Phyllospadix torreyi10
  7. Scouring-pad alga Endocladia muricata10
  8. Lemonade berry Rhus integrifolia9
  9. Red sand-verbena Abronia maritima9
  10. Island hazardia Hazardia detonsa9

Mammals

  1. Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis376
  2. California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus221
  3. Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae179
  4. Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina86
  5. Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus82
  6. Grey Whale Eschrichtius robustus71
  7. Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus60
  8. Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus45
  9. Island Fox Urocyon littoralis28
  10. Orca Orcinus orca24

Insects

  1. Pictured Rove Beetle Thinopinus pictus12
  2. Common Green Darner Anax junius4
  3. Mediterranean red bug Scantius aegyptius4
  4. Peridot Sweat Bee Augochlorella pomoniella3

Reptiles

  1. Common Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana26
  2. Island Fence Lizard Sceloporus becki11
  3. Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas4
  4. Southern Alligator Lizard Elgaria multicarinata3

Fish

  1. Garibaldi Hypsypops rubicundus151
  2. California Sheephead Bodianus pulcher149
  3. Kelp Bass Paralabrax clathratus137
  4. Island Kelpfish Alloclinus holderi79
  5. Blacksmith Chromis Chromis punctipinnis75
  6. Opaleye Girella nigricans73
  7. Painted Greenling Oxylebius pictus72
  8. Treefish Sebastes serriceps63
  9. Blackeye Goby Rhinogobiops nicholsii57
  10. Señorita Wrasse Halichoeres californicus57

Mollusks

  1. Spanish Shawl Flabellinopsis iodinea205
  2. Wavy Turban Megastraea undosa103
  3. Giant Rock Scallop Crassadoma gigantea90
  4. California Seahare Aplysia californica87
  5. Norris's Topsnail Norrisia norrisii85
  6. Kellet's Whelk Kelletia kelletii72
  7. Giant Keyhole Limpet Megathura crenulata66
  8. California Mussel Mytilus californianus65
  9. Black Abalone Haliotis cracherodii58
  10. Chestnut Cowrie Neobernaya spadicea58

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with NOAA or any area's managers. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.