Mapping the Mysterious Islands Near San Francisco | Best Job Ever

Ross and I went out to the ferons to capture conservation stories and map The Refuge. The Falon National Wildlife Refuge is the largest seabird nesting colony in the lower 48 states, and it's also an incredibly important breeding ground for marine mammals like seals and sea lions. Oh, those two are kissing! Most people don't know that the ferons even exist, right?

One, two, three, go! The islands are technically within the city limits of San Francisco. Ross and I are cartographers, so we're really excited to make an interactive map to allow people to explore the islands from afar. The Falon National Wildlife Refuge is completely off limits to the public.

Ross and I are working in collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Point Blue Conservation Science. The only folks who are out there are this team of scientists, 365 days of the year since the 1960s. There aren't that many places along the California coast where seabirds and marine mammals can spend time without being disturbed by some sort of human presence.

And you know, that's why we're here. We're out here to capture the essence of this place so that we can bring it back to the mainland. One of the most consistent comments that I get is how adorable chinstrap penguins are. But every time you get near them, the very first thing that they do is projectile poop!