Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge
Encyclopedia
Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge is located in Ventura County
, in southern California
. It is bordered by the Los Padres National Forest
and the Sespe Condor Sanctuary
to the north. The 2471 acres (10 km²) refuge was established in 1974 to protect the endangered
California condor
, its habitat, and other wildlife resources.
The refuge is in rugged, mountainous terrain. Primary habitats include annual grassland
s, interspersed with oak
and California black walnut groves, with chaparral
on the steeper slopes, natural water springs and riparian habitat, and a freshwater
marsh
. The California black walnut community is considered to be a unique habitat in California, and is recorded in the State Natural Heritage Database.
The refuge provides habitat for more than 130 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles, including the southwestern pond turtle
--a California species of special concern--black bear
, bobcat
, mule deer
, golden eagle
, and California tree frog
. More than 200 plant species have also been documented on the refuge.
Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge plays an integral part in the California Condor Recovery Program, providing foraging and roosting habitat for the bird. The refuge shares information about the Condor Recovery Program through an outreach program that extends to local, national and international publics.
The refuge is closed to public use to protect habitat for the endangered California condor and to support ongoing efforts to reintroduce California condors to the wild. The road to the refuge runs through private lands, and the road itself is inaccessible to the general public. The U.S. Forest Service maintains two observation points in Los Padres National Forest.
Ventura County, California
Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of California. It is located on California's Pacific coast. It is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and has a reputation of being one of the safest populated places and one of the most affluent places in the country...
, in southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. It is bordered by the Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest
Los Padres National Forest is a forest located in southern and central California, which includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Monterey, extending inland...
and the Sespe Condor Sanctuary
Sespe Condor Sanctuary
Sespe Condor Sanctuary is a wildlife refuge in the Los Padres National Forest. The United States Forest Service established the sanctuary in 1947 for the California condor, which is an endangered species and the largest living bird in North America...
to the north. The 2471 acres (10 km²) refuge was established in 1974 to protect the endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
California condor
California Condor
The California Condor is a New World vulture, the largest North American land bird. Currently, this condor inhabits only the Grand Canyon area, Zion National Park, and coastal mountains of central and southern California and northern Baja California...
, its habitat, and other wildlife resources.
The refuge is in rugged, mountainous terrain. Primary habitats include annual grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s, interspersed with oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
and California black walnut groves, with chaparral
Chaparral
Chaparral is a shrubland or heathland plant community found primarily in the U.S. state of California and in the northern portion of the Baja California peninsula, Mexico...
on the steeper slopes, natural water springs and riparian habitat, and a freshwater
Freshwater
Fresh water is naturally occurring water on the Earth's surface in ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground as groundwater in aquifers and underground streams. Fresh water is generally characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts and...
marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
. The California black walnut community is considered to be a unique habitat in California, and is recorded in the State Natural Heritage Database.
The refuge provides habitat for more than 130 species of birds, mammals, and reptiles, including the southwestern pond turtle
Western pond turtle
The western pond turtle , or Pacific pond turtle is a small to medium-sized turtle growing to approximately 20 cm in carapace length. It is limited to the west coast of the United States of America and Mexico, ranging from western Washington state to northern Baja California...
--a California species of special concern--black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
, bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
, mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, golden eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
, and California tree frog
California tree frog
The California tree frog is a cryptically colored species of frog, often resembling granitic stones. It is grey or light brown on its dorsum with darker blotches, and has a whitish venter. It is yellow on the undersides of its legs, groin and lower abdomen; males of the species have a dusky-yellow...
. More than 200 plant species have also been documented on the refuge.
Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge plays an integral part in the California Condor Recovery Program, providing foraging and roosting habitat for the bird. The refuge shares information about the Condor Recovery Program through an outreach program that extends to local, national and international publics.
The refuge is closed to public use to protect habitat for the endangered California condor and to support ongoing efforts to reintroduce California condors to the wild. The road to the refuge runs through private lands, and the road itself is inaccessible to the general public. The U.S. Forest Service maintains two observation points in Los Padres National Forest.