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Learn the wildlife of marine protected areas

Learn the wildlife of the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

CA

2,023 species have research-grade observations in the Greater Farallones 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.

Waters off San Francisco and the Sonoma coast, around the Farallon Islands.

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

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. Common Murre Uria aalge615
  2. Western Gull Larus occidentalis593
  3. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis543
  4. Tufted Puffin Fratercula cirrhata420
  5. Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani414
  6. Brandt's Cormorant Urile penicillatus332
  7. Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba316
  8. Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes267
  9. Pelagic Cormorant Urile pelagicus218
  10. Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa191

Plants

  1. Sea Sacks Halosaccion glandiforme156
  2. Black Pine Seaweed Neorhodomela larix143
  3. Scouring-pad alga Endocladia muricata134
  4. Turkish washcloth Mastocarpus papillatus116
  5. Torrey's Surfgrass Phyllospadix torreyi109
  6. Splendid iridescent seaweed Mazzaella splendens98
  7. Green spongy cushion Codium setchellii95
  8. Green pin-cushion alga Cladophora columbiana94
  9. Mazzaella flaccida88
  10. Flattened ahnfelts seaweed Ahnfeltiopsis linearis86

Mammals

  1. California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus629
  2. Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina587
  3. Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae470
  4. Northern Fur Seal Callorhinus ursinus306
  5. Northern Elephant Seal Mirounga angustirostris299
  6. Steller Sea Lion Eumetopias jubatus264
  7. Grey Whale Eschrichtius robustus199
  8. Blue Whale Balaenoptera musculus125
  9. North American River Otter Lontra canadensis79
  10. Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus61

Insects

  1. Seven-spotted Lady Beetle Coccinella septempunctata60
  2. Farallon Cave Cricket Farallonophilus cavernicolus41
  3. Painted Lady Vanessa cardui35
  4. Spotted Cucumber Beetle Diabrotica undecimpunctata28
  5. Variegated Meadowhawk Sympetrum corruptum22
  6. European Mantis Mantis religiosa20
  7. West Coast Lady Vanessa annabella18
  8. Spotted Tussock Moth Lophocampa maculata16
  9. Bronze Beetle Chrysolina bankii16
  10. Common Green Darner Anax junius14

Fish

  1. Fluffy Sculpin Oligocottus snyderi145
  2. Mosshead Sculpin Clinocottus globiceps144
  3. Tidepool Sculpin Oligocottus maculosus128
  4. Woolly Sculpin Clinocottus analis117
  5. Common Mola Mola mola96
  6. Northern Clingfish Gobiesox maeandricus79
  7. Smoothhead Sculpin Artedius lateralis75
  8. Monkey-faced Prickleback Cebidichthys violaceus70
  9. Cabezon Scorpaenichthys marmoratus61
  10. Lingcod Ophiodon elongatus61

Mollusks

  1. Opalescent Nudibranch Hermissenda opalescens1,555
  2. Monterey Dorid Doris montereyensis900
  3. Hilton's Aeolid Phidiana hiltoni863
  4. California Mussel Mytilus californianus832
  5. Black Tegula Tegula funebralis728
  6. San Diego Dorid Diaulula sandiegensis720
  7. Spotted Dorid Triopha maculata660
  8. Mossy Chiton Mopalia muscosa551
  9. Red Sponge Dorid Rostanga pulchra535
  10. Red Abalone Haliotis rufescens456

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.