Farallon Islands. Rocky shores of Southeast Farallon Island

A rocky archipelago, 50 kilometers from San Francisco, can be seen, in clear weather, from the mainland. That’s why the California indigenous people, who named them the “Islands of the Dead,” knew about the Farallons. Today, there are a lot of birds and mammals there, closely watched by American scientists.

The camera is installed on a lighthouse, in the eastern part of the island. We can see rocks off the coast of the island, and with some luck, you can see seals and sea elephants, as well as many species of birds among which are endangered species.

Scientific observations of the island life are aimed to preserve the population of rare animals and birds. Because of its unique population, the island is closed to the public, only biologists, ornithologists, and other scientists can get here.

Two centuries ago on the island, there was an organized collection of birds eggs for sale. A lot of conflicts were connected with this business, including armed ones. But, the biggest damage was caused to nature because the number of inhabitants of the island was sharply reduced. That is why the Farallon Islands now have the status of a reserve and are under the control of the US Wildlife Service.