Seven Things You May Not Have Known About the Refuges in the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex

26 Dec 2014
Lange’s Metalmark Butterfly was the subject of poachers in the early 1990s. Photo by Susan Euing. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Lange’s Metalmark Butterfly was the subject of poachers in the early 1990s. Photo by Susan Euing. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

  1. Three poachers were convicted in 1993 for poaching endangered insects including the Lange’s metalmark butterflies at Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. The trio received a combination of monetary fines, hundreds of hours of community service, months of in-house imprisonment, and years of probation.
  2. Two films, the 1971 cult classic Harold and Maude and a 1999 independent film Dumbarton Bridge, was partially filmed on what is now the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Familiar scenes of salt ponds are used as backdrop for the films.
    3. Harold and Maude 1971 movie filming location at Dumbarton Bridge

    Harold and Maude 1971 movie filming location at Dumbarton Bridge

  3. Ellicott Slough National Wildlife Refuge was established to protect the Santa Cruz long-toed salamander, which can vocalize squeaks and clicks, possibly as a defense mechanism to startle predators into dropping them when captured.
    4. Santa Cruz long-toed salamander. Photo by Leah Oscar. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Santa Cruz long-toed salamander. Photo by Leah Oscar. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

  4. There is an endemic cricket (Farallonophilus cavernicolus) on Farallon National Wildlife Refuge that lives nowhere else in the world. Researchers are currently studying the Farallon camel cricket.
    5. Farallon Camel Cricket. Photo by Bryan White. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Farallon Camel Cricket. Photo by Bryan White. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

  5. The Marin Islands is named after Chief Marin, a Coast Miwok Native American who hid there trying to evade Spanish soldiers in the early 1800s.
    6. View of both Marin Islands as seen from the East Peak of Mount Tamalpais. Photo by Kit Conn. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

    View of both Marin Islands as seen from the East Peak of Mount Tamalpais. Photo by Kit Conn. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

  6. Parts of what is now Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge were once used as a bombing range by the Navy.
    7. Tern colony at Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Bill Purcell. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Tern colony at Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Bill Purcell. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

  7. Skaggs Island in San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge is named after Marion Barton Skaggs whose family started the grocery store Safeway.
    8. Skaggs Island. Photo by Don Brubaker. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.

    Skaggs Island. Photo by Don Brubaker. Photo courtesy US Fish and Wildlife Service.