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Channel Islands National Parkvisitor at insipiration point, anacapa island
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Channel Islands National Park
Your Safety

Due to the remote and primitive nature of the islands, a safe visit to the park depends on visitor assuming individual responsibility for planning their trips and visiting safely.

For your safety, please remember:

  • Weather conditions change rapidly; dress in layers.

  • There are no supplies on the islands. Take water, food, and other necessities.

  • Watch your step—ladders, railings, and stairs may be wet.

  • Stay back from cliff edges; they may be crumbly or undercut—a fall could be fatal.

  • Do not approach marine mammals, such as whales, seals, and seal lions.

  • Check for ticks and watch out for poison oak and cactus.

  • Deer mice on the islands may carry diseases, including deadly hantavirus. Avoid all contact with mice and other wild animals. Keep food in rodent-proof containers.

  • In an emergency on the islands, contact a ranger or concession employee, or use a cell phone to dial 911. On the water, use a marine radio VHF channel 16.

For saftey information on a specific topic or activity please click on one of the links below.

1994 pygmy mammoth excavation, Santa Rosa Island  

Did You Know?
The world's most complete pygmy mammoth specimen was discovered on Santa Rosa Island in 1994. These miniature mammoths, only four to six feet tall, once roamed island grasslands and forests during the Pleistocene.

Last Updated: July 25, 2006 at 00:22 EST