Santa Rosa Island

Santa Rosa is also home to rich paleontological and archeological resources including remnants of pygmy mammoths dating back to the Pleistocene epoch. Pygmy mammoths (smaller because they had to adapt to island living) once roamed the island’s grasslands and forests, and stood four to six feet tall. The pygmy mammoth fossils found on Santa Rosa Island in 1994 make up the most complete skeleton ever discovered. Another outstanding discovery on the island was Arlington Springs Man; the oldest human remains ever discovered in North America were found buried 30 feet deep in the side wall of Arlington Canyon. The ancient bones are estimated to date back 13,000 years. For more information on how to get to the Channel Islands National Park click HERE

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