Native knife Cabrillo National Monument Facts: • Created on October 14, 1913 to memorialize the first European expedition to the North American West Coast, led by Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo • Cabrillo National Monument comprises more than 160 acres of coastal environment • The park is located on a 400-foot peninsula near between the Pacific Ocean and the adjacent city of San Diego • Cabrillo National Monument is the highest point on Cabrillo National Monument, whose light shown at 465 feet above sea level • Old Point Loma Lighthouse, one of the first on the West Coast, is the highest point on Cabrillo National Monument, at 46 feet • Cabrillo National Monument welcomes 1,100,000 visitors per year • The park is known for its well-preserved rocky intertidal areas and its views of the adjacent landscapes and annual gray whale migrations Please contact the Cabrillo National Monument for more information at (619) 557-5450, or visit their website at www.nps.gov/cabr.

Paleontology

Cabrillo National Monument contains unique and diverse assemblages of fossil materials. Within the Point Loma and Cabrillo Formations, many Cretaceous deep-ocean deposits are found containing marine fossils, including mollusks, gastropods and other invertebrates, sharks, fish, and armored plant-eating reptiles.

Many discoveries have been found along the sea cliffs of the peninsula where the formation is exposed. Due to the transformational effects of rising sea levels, changing sea temperatures, and landform modifications, there is a unique diversity of prehistoric life that is preserved within the monument's formations. As erosion continues, paleontological resources are unearthed and significant finds continue to emerge, providing new opportunities for scientists.

A paleontological resource inventory for the park has been prepared by the National Park Service Geological Resources Division (2003) and provides an overview of specimens and their storage location (e.g., cycad, ammonites, mosasaur).

Current Research
Scientists conducted a limited amount of paleontological research in the Cabrillo National Monument in the 20th century. Currently, there are no known investigations of the fossil flora and fauna within the monument. Paleontologists who have worked in the Monument area include researchers from the San Diego Natural History Museum (which stores park specimens) and San Diego State University. The Los Angeles Natural History Museum also reportedly holds specimens (including a large ammonite).

Research Opportunities
The National Park Service is particularly concerned with the effects of erosion on the paleontological resources of Cabrillo National Monument. The following research needs have been identified:

Researchers in Cabrillo National Monument have access to an extensive geographic information system (GIS) database that includes land use, demographic, jurisdictional, political, and natural and cultural resource data.

The National Park Service looks forward to working with researchers to explore novel opportunities and facilitate future studies in Cabrillo National Monument through the CMRLC. Please contact Cabrillo National Monument for more information at (619) 557-5450 or visit their website at www.nps.gov/cabr.