The Conservancy's wildlife crew collaborated with graduate student Rose Haidar (CSU Humboldt), geneticist Manuel Vasquez (UC Berkeley) and bat researcher Jill Carpenter, on a 4-night bat survey. In total, 41 individuals from four species were captured including two Species of Special Concern: the Pallid bat (only observed on Catalina once in 1935) and the Townsend’s Big-eared bat. Both species are declining on the mainland due to their sensitivity to development. Undeveloped Catalina Island Conservancy land serves as a refugia for these rare species. It is important to protect maternal roosts where bats rear their young. Through this survey, we have found areas to search for four maternal roosts. The next step in bat conservation is to capture the bats and use telemetry to follow them back to their maternal roosts. Once the roosts are found, biologists will be able to take action to protect the colonies.

Thank You for Celebrating With Us!

The Conservancy celebrated it’s golden anniversary on Catalina Island, July 23-24 with member events, signature activities and a donor celebration. Activities included a Naturalist-led hike, free Botanic Garden and Native Plant Nursery tours, complimentary Eco Tours and a guided experience through the White’s Landing educational area. After guests spent the day exploring the Wildlands, members enjoyed sharing their experiences and chatting with the Conservancy's leadership at the Trailhead Open House with happy hour at Toyon Grill. On Sunday, top Conservancy supporters joined us for lunch and a tour at El Rancho Escondido – such a special place for a momentous occasion! The Conservancy is grateful to you for your stewardship over the last 50 years. Thank you for celebrating with us and for your generous support. We look forward to continuing the celebrations through the summer - stay tuned for more information!

Marine Learning Kits for Avalon Youth

School may be out for summer, but it doesn’t mean learning has to stop. The Conservancy is committed to supporting youth and families in outdoor exploration and discovery. For the third year in a row, we disseminated free bilingual learning kits to Avalon youth. This year the topic was marine science and included all materials necessary to observe tidepool animals, identify shorebirds, and record all their beach discoveries in a special journal. Avalon residents aren’t the only ones to benefit from access to learning kits. This year, the Conservancy provided Family Explore Packs to the rangers at Hermit Gulch Campground. Camping families can check out a pack free of charge and bird watch with provided binoculars and field guides, read a story about nature exploration through listening, or identify nearby plants using guides and magnifying loupes. There’s no end to the discoveries families can make when provided with the right tools to explore. Check out more resources for at-home learning!

The Unsung Heroes of Catalina Island

This past Sunday was World Ranger Day! We want to give a special shoutout to the true unsung heroes of Catalina Island - the Conservancy Rangers! Our rangers patrol the Conservancy's sprawling 42,000 acres of wildlands daily, with someone on call 24 hours a day. With over 15,000 hikers and 90,000 campers on the Island each year, rangers are the true first responders on Catalina. They ensure all hikers, bikers and campers are properly prepared and hydrated, respond to emergency situations, and enforce Conservancy regulations and state laws which protect the lives of people and animals alike. A few things you can do to help our rangers out is pack extra water, sunscreen/sun hat (Catalina has very little shade and the heat is no joke!) and always get a free hiking permit before hitting the trails so they can monitor who is in the wildlands and help keep everyone safe! Thank You Conservancy Rangers!

562.437.8555 • www.catalinaconservancy.org

CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY • P.O. Box 2739 • Avalon, CA 90704