Castro Rocks are several rocks in Richmond, California protruding from the waters in San Francisco Bay between Castro Point and Red Rock Island.The rocks lie almost directly under the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (Interstate 580).[1]
Castro Rocks are the home of many harbor seals[2] and who lie on them to rest and sunbathe. The rocks are named after Don Víctor Castro a local rancho-era land owner. The rocks are the largest harbor seal rookery in the northern San Francisco Bay and the second largest in the Bay Area itself.[3] There are also sometimes sea lions on the rocks.[4] The rock's Harbor Seals also frequent Mowry Slough, Brooks Island, Yerba Buena Island, and Mare Island.[5]
The seals at this location have high levels of toxic pollutants including the DDT, PCBs, PBDEs, PFOS, PFOA, and mercury.[6]
References
- ^ Topographic map, TopoQuest, retrieved July 6, 2008
- ^ Tagging program, SFSU, retrieved August 1, 2007
- ^ SFSU, Castro Rocks page, retrieved August 1, 2007
- ^ NOAA Seeks Comments On A Proposed Reauthorization For California Department Of Transportation To Harass Seals During Bridge Reconstruction, NOAA Press Release, February 12, 1999, retrieved August 4, 2007
- ^ vhfmapweb.jpg, Radio tagging map, San Francisco State University, February 2004, retrieved August 4, 2007
- ^ Harbor seals may help determine effect on humans of eating toxic fish, by Jane Kay, San Francisco Chronicle, 19-10-2009, access date 19-02-2009
External links
- Castro Rocks page
- SFSU Tagging - Photos
Coordinates: 37°55′58″N 122°25′01″W / 37.9328168°N 122.416963°W
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