The fauna of theU.S. state ofCalifornia may be the most diverse in the United States. Of the lower 48contiguous states, California has the greatest diversity in climate, terrain, and geology.[2] The state's sixlife zones are the lower Sonoran (desert); upper Sonoran (foothill regions and some coastal lands); transition (coastal areas and moist northeastern counties); and the Canadian, Hudsonian, and Arctic zones, comprising California's highest elevations. California's diverse geography gives rise to dozens of ecosystems, each of which has its own native plants and animals. California is a huge state, the third largest in the U.S., and ranges broadly in habitats.[3]
Earth scientists typically divide California into eleven distinctgeomorphic provinces with clearly defined boundaries. They are, from north to south, theKlamath Mountains, theCascade Range, theModoc Plateau, theBasin and Range, theCoast Ranges, theCentral Valley, theSierra Nevada, theTransverse Ranges, theMojave Desert, thePeninsular Ranges, and theColorado Desert. Here, theLos Angeles Basin, theChannel Islands, and thePacific Ocean are treated as distinct regions.
Common animals that live throughout all the state include raccoons, weasels, otters, beavers, hawks, lizards, owls, coyotes, skunks, snakes, cougars, black bears, deer, squirrels, and whales. As of 2024, there are 687 bird species listed by the California Birds Records Committee, 16 of which areintroduced, not native to the state.[4] TheCalifornia quail, theofficial state bird, breeds mainly in shrubby areas and open woodland. Another bird which winters in California is theAmerican white pelican which is a large seabird, with a wingspan reaching up to 9 feet 2 inches (280 cm).
Venomous spiders in California includeArizona recluse,Chilean recluse,desert recluse,brown widow, andwestern black widow.[5]
The forests in northern parts of California have an abundant fauna, which includes for instance theblack-tailed deer,black bear,gray fox,North American cougar,bobcat, andRoosevelt elk.Garter snakes andrattlesnakes are common, as are such amphibians as themudpuppy and redwood salamander. Thekingfisher,chickadee,towhee, andhummingbird represent the bird life of this region. There were an estimated 1,750 wild horses in Northern California in 2013, according to the Bureau of Land Management.Gray wolves beganrepopulating California in 2011 as they enteredLassen,Siskiyou, andPlumas counties from theCascade Range of Oregon.[7]
Mammals of the Canadianzone include thesnowshoe hare and several species ofchipmunk. Conspicuous birds include the blue-fronted jay,hermit thrush,American dipper, andTownsend's solitaire. Birds become scarcer as one ascends to the Hudsonian zone, and thewolverine is now regarded as rare. The only bird native to the high Arctic region is thegray-crowned rosy finch, but others often visit, includingAnna's hummingbird andClark's nutcracker.
Principal mammals of this region are also visitors from other zones; the Sierra coney andwhite-tailed jackrabbit make their homes here. Thebighorn sheep also lives in this mountainous terrain; the bighorn sheep was listed as endangered by theUS Fish and Wildlife Service. Some animals in theYosemite Valley includebobcats,mountain lions,ring-tailed cats, theSteller's jay,California ground squirrels, and theAmerican black bear.
The largest lake in California by volume isLake Tahoe, located on the California–Nevada border. The area in and around Lake Tahoe is filled with a huge diversity of animals and plants. Mammals included are theyellow-bellied marmot, theDouglas squirrel or chickaree,golden-mantled ground squirrel,American marten,mule deer,black bear,coyote,raccoon,beaver, andporcupine.[8]
Birds in the region includeAmerican robin,bald eagle,California gull,Canada goose,dark-eyed junco,hairy woodpecker,mallard,mountain chickadee,red-tailed hawk,Steller's jay,western tanager, andyellow-headed blackbird.[9] The region has numerous venomous spiders, such as theblack widow,brown recluse,tarantula, andhobo spider. Themountain yellow-legged frog also lives throughout the area. Fish species in the lake includeTahoe sucker,mountain whitefish,brown bullhead catfish,smallmouth bass,mosquitofish, andbrown trout.[10]
The vast forestedKlamath Mountains inNorthern California, coupled with a low rate of human settlement in the rugged remote terrain, makes for excellent habitat for a number of species. Mammal species includemountain lions,black bears,bobcats,lynx,raccoons,martens,fishers,beavers,grey fox,red fox,northern flying squirrel, and plentiful deer. Bird species includebald eagles,golden eagles,pileated woodpecker,band-tailed pigeon, several hawks includinggoshawks, several largeowl species including thespotted owl.[11]
The area haswolves. The 517,000-acreTrinity Alps Wilderness is the second largest designated wilderness in California and spans three national forest boundaries. Bears are very common, and it is recommended that hikers use bearbags or canisters.[12] Salmon and steelhead runs occur in a number of rivers whose headwaters lie in the wilderness, including theStuart Fork Trinity River,South Fork Salmon River,North Fork Trinity River, andNew River. Other fish species includeking salmon,silver salmon,brown trout,rainbow trout,kokanee salmon,eastern brook trout,crappie,bluegill,catfish,large, andsmallmouth bass.
Big Sur is a region of theCentral Coast of California where theSanta Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. Big Sur is home to a wide variety of animals. Mammals includebobcat,weasel,coyote,gray fox, andpuma, as well as non-nativeRussian boar which were imported in the 1920s forsport hunting toRancho San Carlos and can now be found in 56 of the state's 58 counties.[13][14]Sea lions,harbor seals,elephant seals,gray whales,sea otters, and several species of sharks can be spotted off the rocky coastline.[15]
Many varieties of seabirds and waterfowl also call it home, includingseagulls,cormorants,willets,sandpipers,oystercatchers,guillemots, and many others.Andrew Molera State Park has over 350 species of birds. Theperegrine falcon,brown pelican,Brandt's cormorant, and other seabirds are very easy to see along the coast.[15] Three amphibians are found in the area:arboreal salamander,California newt, andwestern toad.
Southern California constitutes one of the more varied collections of geologic, topographic, and natural ecosystem landscapes in a diversity outnumbering other major regions in the country. The region spans fromPacific Channel Islands, shorelines, beaches, and coastal plains, through the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges with their peaks, into the large and small interior valleys, to the vastdeserts of California.
Several varieties of rattlesnakes are indigenous to the region. While only the Pacific Northwest rattler makes its home in Northern California, almost a dozenrattlesnakes make their home in the deserts of Southern California, including thewestern diamondback andMojave rattlesnake. Birds in the region includeAnna's hummingbird,acorn woodpecker,northern flicker,California towhee,California vulture,red-tailed hawk, and many more.
TheMojave Desert appears to have little in the way of wildlife but actually has large, diverse populations. The extremely warm desert environment has animals that have adapted to their environment with each filling an important niche in the desert ecosystem. Animals in the Mojave Desert include theMohave rattlesnake,desert tortoise,glossy snake,common side-blotched lizard,California kingsnake,giant hairy scorpion,stripe tailed scorpion, and thedesert iguana.
Mammals found in the deserts of the lower Sonoran zone include thejackrabbit,kangaroo rat, andopossum. Thewestern screech owl,[18]roadrunner,cactus wren, and various species ofhawk are common birds, and thesidewinder,desert tortoise, andhorned toad represent the area's reptilian life. The upper Sonoran zone is home to such mammals as theantelope, brown-footedwoodrat, andring-tailed cat. Birds distinctive to this zone are theCalifornia thrasher, theAmerican bushtit, andCalifornia condor.
TheColorado River is the longest river in California. Many animals have made the Colorado River and surroundingvalley their home. Animals along the river include several species of snakes, scorpions,tarantula,yellow-headed blackbird,desert iguana,kit fox,bobcats, andcoyotes. Rivers and streams in the Colorado Basin were once home to 49 species of native fish, of which 42 areendemic.[19]
Engineering projects and river regulation have led to the extinction of four species and severe declines in the populations of 40 species. Thebonytail chub,razorback sucker,Colorado pikeminnow, andhumpback chub are among those considered the most at risk. All are unique to the Colorado River system and well adapted to the river's natural silty conditions and flow variations.[19]
On the Californian Coast, many species of animals and plants can be found. Theraccoon,skunk,opossum, andrat are 4 of the species. Large predators include thered fox,bobcat,coyote,American black bear, and thecougar.Wasps, theEuropean honeybee,yellowjackets,flies,moths, and many other insects also live on the Californian Coast. Marine life includesorcas andgreat white sharks. Thegray fox is more common than itsred cousin.
Raccoons,opossums,skunks, andfoxes are common in yards, along with insects, birds,lizards, andsquirrels.Bobcats may appear near the wild-land borders, along withrattlesnakes,coyotes,cougars, andbears.[20]
More than 2000 species of plants and animals can be found within theChannel Islands National Park, which consists of five of the eight islands that compromise theChannel Islands. Three mammals are endemic to the archipelago: theChannel Islands fox, thedeer mouse, and theChannel Islands spotted skunk. Introduced mammal species include feral pigs, cats, rats, deer, cattle, theSanta Cruz sheep, and theCatalina Island bison herd.[21]
Other mammals include thewestern harvest mouse, theground squirrel, and theornate shrew. Other animals in the islands includeisland fence lizard,island scrub jay,harbor seal,California sea lion,island night lizard,barn owl,bald eagles,American kestrel,horned lark,meadowlark, and Californiabrown pelican. One hundred and forty-five of these species are found in the islands and nowhere else in the world. Marine life ranges from microscopicplankton to the endangeredblue whale, the largest animal ever to live on earth.[21] The oceans surrounding the islands have rich marine life; species includeorcas,swellshark,bat ray,California moray,great white shark, andsea lions.
Along the coast of California is theCalifornia sea lion, which can grow up to seven feet long and can be found in shallow ocean water, near beaches, and among rocks. In the open ocean is thenorthern elephant seal, which grows up to a massive 14 feet (4.3 metres) and has a population of just over 150,000.[3] The ocean off California is home to six species of seals:Guadalupe fur seal,northern fur seal,northern sea lion,California sea lion,northern elephant seal, andharbor seal.
California waters are also home to eleven species of dolphins, including theshort-beaked common dolphin and thePacific white-sided dolphin. A dozen species of whales live in California, including thekiller whale and thegray whale. At least 34 species of sharks have been recorded off the California coast, includinggreat whites andtiger sharks.[22]
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