Please
direct
comments, questions and
suggestions pertaining to
this site to:
San Juan
Island NHP
P.O. Box 429
Friday Harbor, WA
98250
Telephone:
(360)378-2240
(360) 378-2902
(Wed.-Sun.)
FAX:
(360)378-2615
(360) 378-2996
E-mail:
Webmaster
Mike_Vouri@
nps.gov
For
comprehensive information about the National Park Service visit:
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From orca (killer) whales blowing in the open waters off South Beach to a red fox darting across the American Camp prairie to an osprey gliding over Garrison Bay, the water, land and sky at the park are host to a wide variety of animal life. Many species reside here year round, while others are only summer or winter residents. Still others visit the island only to rest and feed during seasonal migrations to and from far off places.
In addition to large, marine mammals such as the orca, the fauna mix includes terrestrial mammals, bats, reptiles, amphibians, more than 200 species of birds, 200 species of fish and hundreds of species of marine invertebrates. Island biogeography explains why there are fewer species of animals on San Juan Island than on the neighboring mainland. Species must find a way to cross anywhere from seven to 20 miles of 50-degree water or traverse vast stretches of open sky. Some common animal species such as the red fox, European rabbit, and Norway rat were brought to the island by people, who by so doing changed the natural balance.
The future of all plant and animal life is intricately tied to the environmental health of the lands, waters and air of the Salish Sea and beyond.
The final retreat of the glaciers of the last ice age beginning about 13,000 years ago created a landscape ready for plant pioneers. Prehistoric peoples may have helped maintain the prairies with fire. Euro-American settlement in the 1850s brought accelerated change to the Island’s plant life. Old growth forests were logged to feed the lime kilns and non-native plants were introduced by accident or for utilitarian or aesthetic purposes. Today both native and non-native plants vie for the necessities of survival: space, nutrients and moisture.
