To guide visitors through the nine ecosystems and a diversity of habitats found throughout the region, Visit Santa Cruz County announces the new Wildlife Guide for 2026 – 2028. This 56-page guide is a way to educate and honor the nearly 400 migratory and permanent bird species and the thousands of monarch butterflies, whales, and elephant seals which call the area home on a seasonal basis. The free guide is available to lodging properties, museums, and other points of interest throughout the county.
Now in its eighth printing, the guide is designed to identify and navigate the various communities adjacent to premiere birding and wildlife destinations throughout the county. The guide includes information on a variety of habitats, from sandy beaches to lagoons, wetlands and river mouths, as well as descriptions and fresh photography of the some of the area’s most commonly seen birds, butterflies and marine mammals and the best times of the year to view them. The Cotoni-Coast Dairies National Monument is a new addition to the guide.
Information on where and how to view wintering monarch butterflies, migrating whales and elephant seals is also featured. The guide provides maps of birding and wildlife hotspots, points of interest and wildlife-related events.
The guide is available to download online and at the year-round visitor center at 705 Front Street in Santa Cruz.