Native Animals

Santa Barbara Region and San Rafael Mountains

Thumbnail	Common Name	Scientific Name	Description	Native
	California Legless Lizard	Anniella pulchra	The only species of legless lizard in California. They are usually burrowing through the soil so you are unlikely to see them unless you are digging a hole as I was in my backyard. The black part is the tail.	Native
	Aggregating Anemone	Anthopleura elegantissima	At low tide there are lots of places to explore the tide pools along Arroyo Burro Beach. These Anemones are very common attached on the exposed rocks. Groups of these Anemones are clones.	Native
	Tarantula	Aphonopelma	Tarantulas are gentle passive spiders that eat pests and are beneficial. They are most often seen in the fall when the males are out looking for mates. They won't bother you since they have only one mission in life at that time.	Native
	Banana Slug	Ariolimax columbianus	The Banana Slug is the official invertibrate of the State of California. They are generally seen in the wet season moving slowly across trails so be careful where you step. They love mushrooms.	Native
	Arroyo Toad	Bufo microscaphus	Another picture by Jim Childress. These toads are most active during late winter and early spring after the rainy season. They are chiefly nocturnal so you are more likely to hear them than to see them. They are an endangered species so if you see one leave it alone.	Native
	Western Green Hairstreak	Callophrys affinis	This beautiful turquois butterfly was hilltopping on the Aliso trail in March 2007. I had to follow him for about five minutes before he finally came to a stop.	Native
	Hummingbird	Calypte anna	Another picture by Jim Childress. This is most probably a female Anna's Hummingbird although it is hard to tell from this angle. Anna's Hummingbirds stay in the Santa Barbara area and don't migrate as other species of hummingbirds do.	Native
	Great Egret	Casmerodius albus	The Great Egret has black legs and is taller than the Snowy Egret which has green legs. They can be seen hunting at the edge of the ocean or stream, but also occasionally out in open fields. This one was seen on a hike to Coal Oil Point.	Native
	Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura	This was one of two turkey vultures who refused to give up a roadkill squirrel even as my car roled toward him. They can have up to a six foot wingspan and are very good gliders.	Native
	Western Pond Turtle	Clemmys marmorata	This picture was taken by Jim Childress on the Sespe River. These are also called the California Pond Turtle or the Southern California Pond Turtle. I've seen quite a few in Gidney Creek and some in the pools by Red Rock.	Native
	Southern Pacific rattlesnake	Crotalus helleri	I've seen many of these in the Santa Barbara backcountry - as many as three in one day. Keep a safe distance and you should be okay.	Native
	Monarch Butterflies	Danaus plexippus	Monarch butterflies overwinter in the Santa Barbara area. The most well know spot is the Moanrch preserve at Ellwood but there are other places in town where they will gather by the hundreds in trees.	Native
	Ringneck Snake	Diadophis punctatus	The ring around its neck gives it its name but the red belly is what is so distinctive about this seldom seen but widespread snake.	Native
	Blue Tailed Skink	Eumeces skiltonianus	Also called the Western Skink. This picture was taken by Jim Childress. These are not seen as often as the fence lizard or the aligator lizard but when you see one you will remember the vivid colors.	Native
	Bobcat	Felis rufus	This Bobcat was caught napping by Steven Rothstein on the Arroyo Burro Trail. I have seen them several times but never have been able to get a picture.	Native
	Southern Alligator Lizard	Gerrhonotus multicarintus	The Southern Alligator Lizard is not as common as the fence lizard but is much larger. They are also more aggressive. If you pick one up you are likely to be bitten hard enough to draw blood. They are beneficial so leave them alone.	Native
	Lady bugs	Hippodamia convergens	Many people are aware that Monarch Butterflies swarm in the winter but not everyone has seen Lady Bugs swarming. They can be seen locally in winter on the Davy brown trail the bottom of Tequepis trail and on the western end of Blue Canyon to name just a few. Lady Bugs Lady Beetles or Lady Birds are beneficial insects that eat aphids.	Native
	California Treefrog	Hyla cadaverina	This frog is very small and is most often seen near streams and ponds. They have a loud voice for such a small animal.	Native
	Common King Snake	Lampropeltis getulus	The Common King Snake is fairly common in the Santa Barbara area. The striking black and white stripes are beautiful. It is beneficial and eats pests.	Native
	California Mountain King Snake	Lampropeltis zonata	The more striking Mountain King Snake looks poisonous with its red black and white stripes but it is not.	Native
	Mule Deer	Odocoileus Hemionus	The name Mule Deer comes from the large ears. They have an interesting habit of hopping away from danger jumping up to eight feet at a time often straight up steep slopes.	Native
	Tarantula Hawk	Pepsis formosa	This is the most poisonous insect in North America. While not very aggresive, they hunt and immobilize tarantulas and then lay their eggs in the still living spider. It is listed at the top of the list in the Schmidt Sting Pain Index. He rates it at a 4 on his scale (where 4 is the highest) and describes it as, "Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair drier has been dropped into your bubble bath."	Native
	California Mouse	Peromyscus californicus	This little mouse was on San Ysidro trail and was injured. Normally they move so fast that you barely catch a look at them out of the corner of your eye.	Native
	Coast Horned Lizard	Phrynosoma coronatum	The Horned Lizard or Horned Toad as they are often called hides itself in the sand and pounces on the bugs that it eats. You should be careful where you step as they blend in with their surroundings extremely well and are often half covered with sand.	Native
	Ochre Sea Stars	Pisaster ochraceus	There are many species of starfish that can be seen in tide pools at low tide on Santa Barbara's shore. They come in many colors and with different numbers of arms. The lowest tides in Santa Barbara usually occur in the winter months so watch the tide tables.	Native
	Gopher Snake	Pituophis melanoleucus	Large and heavy-bodied the gopher snake is reported to reach 9 feet (275 cm) in length but 4 feet (120 cm) is more common. I have seen them up to six feet locally. When startled they sometimes will act like a rattlesnake to scare off their attacker.	Native
	Western Fence Lizard	Sceloporus occidentalis	Also called Blue Belly Lizard some have very blue sides on their bellies. They eat bugs and when I used to split wood they would come out and watch me waiting to see if the wood contined termites. If it did they ran in and grabbed them.	Native
	Scorpion	Scorpionida (order)	This scorpion may look like he is standing on water but actually he is on a plastic ground cloth where a fellow backpacker found him in his sleeping bag at Mission Pine Basin. Not sure of the species.	Native
	California Newt	Taricha torosa torosa	I've been told that the rough sink on this newts back is poisonous. I have picked them up with no ill effect but I have never licked one. They are often found in small streams and pools especially in spring and early summer.	Native
	Two Stripe Garter Snake	Thamnophis hammondi	Also called the Western Aquatic Garter Snake. This snake can occasionally be seen in pools of water hunting for tadpoles and small fish. This one and several others were seen at Three Pools.	Native
	Black Bear	Ursus americanus	This picture was taken by Jim Childress on the Sisquoc River. Bears in North America may be brown or cinnamon colored but all are Black Bears. The ones that I have seen are very shy and avoid people.	Native
	By-the-wind sailors	Velella Velella	This is a jellyfish that is occasionally seen on our coast, but on those occasions they are seen in great numbers. They float near the surface of the water letting their sails push them along. When the wind blows the wrong way, they wash up on our shores.	Native