Naturalist Night | Animals Underground: The Burrowing and Cave Dwelling Creatures of the Santa Cruz Mountains with Matt Sharp Chaney and Alex Jones (watch recording)

Beneath our feet is a world of creatures seldom seen. Join local experts for this set of short presentations at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History exploring the mysteries of the underground. Alex Jones, UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve Manager, will share the secrets of UC Santa Cruz’s karst caves and burrowing insects, while Matt Sharp Chaney, Midpen Wildlife Biologist, will share stories of salamanders and squirrels, badgers and broad-footed moles, kangaroo rats and kingfishers, and more.

This program is in support of the new exhibit, Underground: Unearthing Unseen Worlds, and is presented in partnership with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

Matt Sharp Chaney is a Wildlife Biologist and the Lead Mammologist for the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) where he has worked for the past 8 years. Prior to working at Midpen Matt worked as an Educational Assistant at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History and he is excited to return for this Naturalist Night. Matt received a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from California State University Monterey Bay in 2015, and a master’s certificate in wildlife management from Oregon State University in 2018. Midpen manages over 65,000 acres of public preserves located within the Santa Cruz Mountains along the San Francisco Peninsula. Matt’s work focuses on the conservation of native mammal species from bats, to kangaroo rats, to mountain lions. 

Alex Jones has been an environmental educator for 25 years, practicing natural history while leading students ranging from preschoolers to senior citizens, though he traces his naturalist roots to his own childhood experiences of playing with mud, scaring ducks, and hiding in the shrubbery. Alex currently works as the UC Santa Cruz Campus Natural Reserve Manager and supports education, research, and stewardship activities on campus natural lands. He brings his passion for natural history, ecology, and stewardship to UCSC students through undergraduate course field trips, internships, and volunteer opportunities. As part of his duties, Alex is responsible for monitoring and managing for the federally endangered Ohlone tiger beetle populations that occur on the UCSC campus. Prior work has given him the opportunity to participate in inventories and studies involving plants, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds in the eastern and western US.

Accessibility

  • The event will occur inside the Museum and is wheelchair accessible.
  • Restrooms, water fountains, and light snacks will be available.
  • Parking is first-come-first-served in the neighborhood. Bike parking is available near the museum entrance.
  • This program will be in English.
  • If we are able to record the program, it will be added to this webpage after the event.
  • Masks are not currently required indoors, but we will alert registrants if an increase in covid transmission rates triggers that requirement.
  • Reasonable accommodation requests can be made by emailing events@santacruzmuseum.org.

Photo credit Matt Sharp Chaney, Alex Jones, Santa Clara County Parks, and Christine Fielding.

Museum of the Macabre 2023

Thank you to the many community members who joined us for the 7th annual Museum of the Macabre! You can peruse photos from the event here.

Come in costume and imbibe cauldron-concocted cocktails while exploring the chasms of the world beneath our feet. The seventh annual Museum of the Macabre will be bigger than ever with freakish festivities and special exhibits outdoors and inside the Museum’s galleries. This year’s tricks and treats will unearth the mysteries of the underground:

  • Costume contest (see below for details)
  • Outdoor movie screening of Tremors from Westside Video
  • Natural dyes with mushrooms
  • Freakish features including mysterious fossils, creepy crawlies, magnificent minerals, fascinating fungi, and more
  • Admission to the new exhibit Underground: Unearthing Unseen Worlds
  • Treats for sale including Areperia 831, Adobo2Go, Discretion Brewing, and curated cocktails
  • Many other shocking examples of nature’s dark side…
  • Explore photos from last year’s event here.

$15 Members | $25 General

21+ | Admission includes one free drink ticket.
Online presale discounts end October 27.
$30 at the door. Space is limited.

Saturday, October 28, 2023
6-9 p.m.

Online sales have closed. Tickets available at the door for $30.

Costumes

  • Dress on theme for a chance to win a costume prize! This year’s theme is THE UNDERGROUND (think creepy crawlies, caves, mushrooms, earthquakes, landfills…)
  • Costumes should not be obstructive or offensive in nature.
  • Costumes should not contain sharp or pointed objects, or materials that may accidentally strike guests or exhibits.
  • Costumes should not contain any elements which resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.

Accessibility

  • The event will occur at Tyrrell Park and inside the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.
  • Limited number of tickets available and online presale discounts end October 27.
  • Please follow local guidelines for COVID safety at the time of the event.
  • The Museum and restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Park festivities will be on both level and slanted grass. The movie and costume contest will occur in the amphitheater behind the Museum where there are steps to enter. Both will be visible from the grass above.
  • Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals are permitted.
  • Review more details on our Accessibility page.
  • Email events@santacruzmuseum.org with any question, help with registration, or accommodation requests.

Thank you to our partners!

Caves and Climate Change with Jessica Oster | Online Talk

The Santa Cruz Mountains are full of limestone caves that hold many secrets, including records of our climate past. Join Dr. Jessica Oster for an exploration into White Moon Cave where she researches stalagmites (mineral formations growing up from cave floors) that record the climate and environment above the cave as they grow. One stalagmite from White Moon Cave has revealed linkages between the plant community and fire activity above the cave and “climate whiplash” or oscillations between extreme wet and dry periods that occurred over 8,000 years ago. We will discuss how climate records from stalagmites are created as well as the unique things we have learned about California climate from Santa Cruz Mountains caves.

This program is in support of the new exhibit Underground: Unearthing Unseen Worlds.

About the Speaker

Jessica Oster is an Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. She completed her PhD at the University of California, Davis. Oster studies chemical variations in cave mineral formations such as stalagmites to reconstruct climate change in the past, including changes in rainfall, vegetation, and fire activity above the cave. She has developed stalagmite-based records of climate change from caves in northern and central California, Wyoming, Tennessee, India, and the island of Curaçao.

3/23 Educator Workshop with the Amah Mutsun

Saturday, March 23, 2024

9am-3pm

Register Here

Breakfast and Lunch provided

Please Note: This workshop will take place at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education located at 400 Encinal St.

Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for a FREE workshop connecting local educators with tribal leaders.

This workshop aims to deepen knowledge, clarify terminology, and provide a space for dialogue about incorporating a Native perspective into K-12 curriculum. Teachers will have the opportunity to work side-by-side with colleagues and tribal representatives as they consider the strengths and weaknesses of their current curriculum and consider ways that they might better incorporate an Indigenous perspective into future lessons.

Featuring Valentin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band

Thank you to our generous sponsors for supporting this event

Membership: Get 6 months for Free

What does it mean to be a Member of the Museum?

There’s never been a better time to become a Museum Member and take advantage of the benefits! Membership is perfect for anyone who loves all that Santa Cruz County has to share, from its shoreline to the summit. You’ll love the hikes, walks, talks, and fun events the Museum offers. Join our diverse community now and gain unique opportunities to immerse yourself all year long in nature experiences and environmental education that informs and inspires! Meet fellow nature lovers of all ages and backgrounds.

Standard Membership Benefits 

Our programs, exhibits, walks, talks, and events are exceptional and will have you ready to sign up for more. With just two standard program fees, your membership pays for itself.

Included in all Memberships:

• Free admission to the Museum

• 10% off at the Museum Store

• Exclusive invites to Exhibits

• Early Bird Program Registration

• Exclusive Free Programs for Members

• Program Discounts and more…

Annual Membership Levels and Benefits 

Friend Membership | $100 Family level benefits plus participation in the ASTC Passport Program. Discounts on Summer Camps, and invitations to small member-only events.

Friend Membership

Family Membership | $50 Standard benefits plus free admission to the Museum for two adults, two single-use guest passes, and discounts on Summer Camps.

Family Membership

Individual Membership | $35 In addition to the standard benefits, one single-use guest pass.

Individual Membership

Senior Membership | $15 

Standard benefits

Senior Membership

Student Membership | $15 

Standard benefits

Student Membership

Gift Membership

choose the membership level

Gift Membership

Get 6 months FREE for family membership or above

Sign-Up Today – use code: Free6

Join the Club! Club Membership

receive enhanced recognition and special access to the Museum

Pat & Kirk Smith Club | $250 Friend level benefits plus an invitation to additional VIP Club events throughout the year, an invitation to our Patrons reception, and recognition in our annual report to the community.

Pat & Kirk Smith Club

Humphrey Pilkington Club | $500 Friend level benefits plus a 20% discount on purchases at the Museum Store during promotional events, an invitation to our Patrons reception, and recognition in our annual report to the community.

Humphrey Pilkington Club

Laura Hecox Club | $1,000 Friend level benefits, a 20% discount on purchases at the Museum Store during promotional events, an invitation to our Patrons reception, and recognition in our annual report to the community. Plus a private guided tour of the Museum for you and up to 4 guests.

Laura Hecox Club

Lightkeeper Society

(with confirmation of a planned gift) 

Laura Hecox Club level benefits, a 20% discount on purchases at the Museum Store during promotional events, an invitation to our Patrons reception, and recognition in our annual report to the community. Plus a private guided tour of the Museum for you and up to 4 guests.

Lightkeeper Society

Join today and save! 

Other ways to join or renew: stop by the Museum to join during regular business hours, call the Museum at (831) 420-6115, or send a check to 1305 East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA 95062. Give the gift of Membership! Share your love of nature with friends and family through the purchase of a gift membership. Let us know how we can make your gift special.

Get 6 months FREE for family membership or above

Sign-Up Today – use code: Free6

Guide to Collecting Fossils

A large fossil in grey rock on the beach.
A large fossil in grey rock on the beach.

so you found a fossil. now what?

People find fossils in Santa Cruz County all the time! Some of these objects are important for research, while others are best left as part of the landscape. This guide will help you decide what to do when you find something during your outdoor exploration.

Where can I find fossils?

We live in an area with amazing fossil diversity. The beaches of Capitola and Aptos are great places to easily spot fossils, especially at low tide. Explore our guide to the fossils of Santa Cruz County.

May I collect fossils?

Always know before you go when collecting. Determine whose property you are on and what their rules are for collecting. Generally, collecting fossils is not allowed on most public land.

Vertebrate fossils (including all mammals like whales and mastodons) are protected on all public lands and require a permit for collecting. In California, plant and invertebrate fossils on non-federal public lands are also protected. This means that you are not allowed to collect fossil shells embedded in rock from Capitola and Aptos beaches without first getting a permit from the appropriate agency (either County or State Parks).

But should I collect fossils?

In addition to knowing if you are legally allowed to collect, consider that when you collect an object, you are removing it from its context — without good data, it’s unlikely that specimens can be used for science. Every specimen collected from nature impacts the surrounding ecosystem which is why certain species and properties are protected.

If you find something interesting, rather than collecting it, you can leave it where you found it, take a picture, and notify the agency whose property you are on and/or the Museum. Fossil shells around Capitola are incredibly common, but if you find something unusual that doesn’t seem to be commonplace, it might be worth getting in touch with us. 

May I bring my fossil to the Museum?

If you’ve found something that you would like us to take a look at and help you identify, take a photo and send it to collections@santacruzmuseum.org. Be sure to include something for scale and mention where you found it. The museum cannot physically accept objects without prior consent. If you’re interested in donating your specimen to the Museum, our collections staff will need to first assess how it fits within our collections policy.

Why are museum collections important?

Our Museum has a long history of working with collectors to preserve important objects for research and education. Our founder, Laura Hecox, was an amateur collector who grew up on West Cliff Drive, collecting fossils, shells, and other objects that captivated her attention. Over time, she worked with scientists who even named new species after her, and donated her vast collection to the foundation of Santa Cruz’s first public museum.

Many of the objects in our collections were found by community members while exploring nature. The first mastodon specimen recorded in Santa Cruz County was discovered by 16-year-old Jim Stanton while exploring Aptos Creek in 1980.

When collections are brought to museums, they are able to benefit whole communities through research, education, and accessibility.

Other Resources

Articles about our fossil collections

Watch lectures

Learn about local paleontologists

Books and academic papers

Online resources

Fossils on exhibit at the Museum

  • Cast of a fossil sea cow (Dusisiren jordani) excavated from the Santa Margarita Formation at a Zayante sand quarry in 1963.
  • Fossil skull of a Pacific Mastodon (Mammut pacificus) discovered in March 1980 by Aptos resident Jim Stanton. He spotted the giant molars protruding from a gravel bank along Aptos Creek.
  • Fossil jaw bone of a baleen whale from the Santa Margarita Formation in Scotts Valley.
  • An array of shark teeth (including Megalodon), bivalves, plants, and the skulls of a fossil dolphin, walrus, and sea lion, as well as microfossils.
  • Garden fossils: Take a stroll around the Museum’s Garden Learning Center and see if you can spot our large whale fossils.
  • Activities for kids: Multiple dig boxes feature Santa Margarita Formation fossils of sand dollars and casts of a fossil sea cow.
  • Rent a kit to explore local fossils at home. Kit rentals are $10 per week and can be requested here (you do not need to be a teacher to request a rental).
  • Shop the geology and paleontology section of our online store

Mastodons and the Museum

June 1, 2023

A very special tooth in Santa Cruz County has captured the attention of the world. A widespread community campaign to recover a mastodon tooth that went missing after being recorded on a local beach culminated on May 30, 2023 when Jim Smith brought a special treasure to the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History.

Here’s How the Story Unfolded

As Memorial Day weekend ramped up in Santa Cruz County, a tourist with ties to the area spotted an unusual object on Rio Del Mar beach. Uncertain of what she was seeing, she photographed her unusual find and shared it on social media in the hopes that it would be identified. That’s when Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History Paleontology Collections Advisor, Wayne Thompson, posted online to clarify the significance of the discovery.

“This is (a) … molar tooth of the Pacific Mastodon Mammut pacificus, and an extremely important find. Give me a call when you get a chance…” Thompson wrote in response to the post.

When Thompson arrived at the location where the tooth was originally discovered, it was gone. A public call to find the tooth went out across multiple platforms, with local and international news outlets joining the Museum’s efforts to recover and protect the important specimen. On the morning of May 30, Jim Smith, a local man who had seen the news about the tooth, called the Museum.

“I was so excited to get that call,” said Liz Broughton, Visitor Experience Manager at the Museum. “Jim told us that he had stumbled upon it during one of his regular jogs along the beach, but wasn’t sure of what he had found until he saw a picture of the tooth on the news. He was so excited to hear it was a mastodon tooth and was eager to share it with the Museum.”

Mastodons in Santa Cruz County

The Museum has a long history with local mastodons. In 1980, 16-year-old Jim Stanton found a mastodon skull in Aptos Creek, which Thompson excavated and spent years meticulously repairing. Visitors can explore this skull, the only other locally recorded specimen, at the Museum of Natural History where it is on permanent exhibit.

Thompson first came to the Museum in 1976 as a high school sophomore, eager to continue to explore the world of paleontology. A youth employment program launched by former President Jimmy Carter granted the option to work here at the Museum alongside Charles Prentice and Frank Perry, and Thompson jumped at the chance. He prepared fossils, guided guests through the galleries, and tended to our collections, among other duties.

After retiring as a middle school science teacher recently, Thompson rejoined the Museum as Paleontology Collections Advisor. In this new role, he helps catalog collections, shares his expertise with staff and the community, and is working on digitizing our paleontology collection.

With the discovery of this new tooth, he and the Museum’s collections department have a slew of new tasks to look forward to as we work with State Parks to ensure the ongoing preservation, study, and display of this unique object.

More on Mastodons

The Pacific mastodon (Mammut pacificus) is one of many recognized mastodon species. M. pacificus is the newest species to be named. Once thought to be M. americanum, DNA analysis helped reveal that certain specimens actually belonged to a newly designated species. Mastodons generally roamed California from about 5 million to 10 thousand years ago, but were much more prevalent in the eastern areas of North America.

What’s Next For the Tooth

The Rio Del Mar tooth has a lot of potential to reveal information about the life history of mastodons, as well as what led to their extinction.

The mastodon skull on exhibit at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History is that of a juvenile, and the discovery of this adult tooth on Rio Del Mar beach may provide the first evidence that a herd roamed Santa Cruz County during the last Ice Age.

We’re also interested in having the tooth analyzed with carbon dating and stable isotope analysis so that we may determine how long ago the individual lived, what it ate, and more. This information can help us know more about the implications of climate change and human impacts on the extinction of this species, as well as how they lived in the area.

The Museum looks forward to collaborating with State Parks on the ongoing care, study, and exhibition of this special specimen.

Support Our Work

Photo 1: Museum staff Liz Broughton holding the Rio Del Mar tooth alongside the mastodon skull that is in the Museum’s collections
Photo 2: Jim Smith delivering the tooth
Photo 3: The mastodon skull found in 1980, on exhibit at the Museum
Photo 4: Rio Del Mar mastodon tooth

Naturalist Night: Reintroducing Fire (watch recording)

Fire is a natural part of the California landscape and plays an integral role in our local ecology. For millennia, Indigenous communities have stewarded the land with fire, but centuries of fire suppression, periods of extreme drought, and an expanding populace into the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) have led to increasingly intense fires that threaten communities. The burning question in recent years has been: how do we protect our communities from fire while also supporting “good fire” on the landscape?

Join a panel of experts from Amah Mutsun Land Trust, Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County, and Sempervirens Fund at the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for a series of talks exploring this question and the many ways that local groups are managing the landscape both for and with fire.

Below is a recording of the presentation, recorded at the Museum on August 10, 2023.

Resources

8/5 CZU and You: Henry Cowell

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park has implemented a new prescribed burn program that allows community members to actively participate in forest management practices that support the health and resiliency of the park. Join us for this two part program where we’ll:

1. Learn about fire ecology in the redwoods and current forest management practices underway in the Redwood Grove of Henry Cowell Redwoods, including burn piles that are being created by community volunteers.

2. Practice building burn piles alongside State Parks staff and volunteers for future burn days. This is a unique opportunity to actively support land management both for and with fire in Santa Cruz County.

Saturday, August 5, 2023
10 a.m. to noon

Location: Henry Cowell (meeting details will be shared upon registration).
Accessibility notes below.

$20 Suggested Donation

Register

About the CZU and YOU Series

Explore the role of fire on our landscape through a series of walks that invite our community to reflect on the CZU Lightning Complex fires of August 2020, while learning about proactive steps being taken throughout the County to manage the landscape both for and with fire. Explore fire resources from past events here.

In Partnership With

CZU and You Events

Accessibility and What to Expect

  • Participants should be prepared to walk 1-2 miles on mostly paved and flat trails.
  • Restrooms are available near the parking lot.
  • Wear layers, comfortable shoes, and bring any snacks/water you might need.
  • The first hour of the program will be a guided tour, and we will end with an opportunity to help build brush piles for those who are interested. NOTE: We will be building the piles, not burning them. Please wear boots, bring work gloves, and be prepared to work in varying terrain/conditions should you like to participate in this portion of the program. Please watch this video before attending.
  • Please leave your pets at home. Trained service animals are permitted.
  • Youth under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

CZU and You 2023

Explore the role of fire on our landscape through a series of programs that invite our community to reflect on the CZU Lightning Complex fires of August 2020, while learning about proactive steps being taken throughout the County to manage the landscape both for and with fire. Explore fire resources from past events here.

Events

In Partnership With