2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Mission To interpret the natural world through research, education, and exhibits; to promote understanding of the evolution and diversity of southern California and the peninsula of Baja California; and to inspire in all a respect for nature and the environment. Clouds over the hills in the Sierra Cacachilas. 140 years of excellence...naturally! to the Museum’s mission. Fiscal year 2014 saw the completion of the San Jacinto Centennial Resurvey field work and the beginning of a similar multi-year project in the Sierra Cacachilas, a little explored and biologically rich mountain range southwest of La Paz, Baja California Sur. It is not unreasonable to think that in another 100 years, a new team of Museum researchers and binational partners will revisit these areas in order to observe, collect, and compare how they have changed over time. The Museum benefits from a diversified funding stream including generous contributions from many loyal supporters; contract revenue through October 2014 Paleo and Biological Services; and the revenue from admissions and membership, to highlight a Dear Museum Friends, few. Our robust traveling exhibition schedule is critical to attracting new audiences and renewing On October 9, 2014, the San Diego Society of members. Real Pirates and Dino Jaws generated Natural History celebrated the 140th anniversary impressive numbers in 2013-14. For our 140th of its incorporation. Though the stories in this anniversary, in addition to inaugurating Coast annual report look back at the past year, this to Cactus, the Museum is hosting The Discovery introduction will provide a glimpse into the of King Tut, a breathtaking recreation of the exciting year ahead. historic moment when Howard Carter opened the tomb of the boy king, and Maya: Hidden Worlds This milestone year will be highlighted by Revealed. Together, each of these revenue sources expressions of our mission made real with the helps the Museum to focus on fulfilling the dedication of our second core exhibition, Coast mission you have entrusted to us. to Cactus in Southern California (de la costa a los cactus en el sur de California), the complement We hope you will join us throughout the coming to Fossil Mysteries (Misterios Fósiles). Together, year as we celebrate 140 years of the Museum’s these two exhibitions provide the complete story role in promoting and inspiring an understanding of our unique region: from the geologic and and love for the natural world. paleontological past which formed the landscape to our rich biodiversity today. As Balboa Park Sincerely, rings in the centennial celebration of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, our Museum will be poised to serve as the unofficial visitor center for our region. We believe that every visitor to the Park should “start here.” Michael W. Hager, Ph.D. President & CEO We like to say that research is the engine of everything we do, and both exhibitions are grounded in the results of 140 years of dedication Jeff Block Chair, Board of Directors 3 One Team Two Countries Many Discoveries Cardon (Pachycereus pringlei) and Palo Blanco (Lysiloma candidum) forest in the mountains of Baja California Sur. Take a team of more than 30 dedicated and enthusiastic biologists, combine with several INSPIRED BY NATURE: weeks in a remote and previously unexplored part of Baja California, add collecting and camping equipment, mix well with the camaraderie of two “Life is short. adjoining nations, and the result? One dynamite research expedition! For those who think the thrill The world is big. of explorers venturing off into unknown territory It awaits your to seek out new species and scientific information is something that only happened in centuries exploration. If past, read on. you’re not living In October and November 2013, scientists from on the edge, you’re just taking the research departments of the San Diego up way too much space.” Natural History Museum, along with Mexican colleagues from Centro de Investigaciones —Paul Beaver Biologicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR) and Universidad Autonoma de Baja California (UABC), as well as Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT), Bat specialist Drew Stokes of the birds and embarked on a collaborative exploration of the mammals department explored abandoned Sierra Cacachilas. This mountain range south of mines in the Sierra and was excited to find large La Paz is remote enough that very little, if any, roosts of bats, including two significant and previous investigation had been conducted in the sensitive species. The California leaf-nosed bat is area. Due to its location in the peninsula’s Cape a species of special concern in the U.S., and the region, with its tropical climate and conditions, lesser long-nosed bat is a federally endangered our researchers were especially eager to discover species. It appears the mines provide a perfect what unusual plants and animals might be habitat for these and other bat species in the revealed. area. A desert gray shrew, the smallest mammal found in California with a body only two inches Plants, birds, bats, lizards, insects, spiders, snakes, long, was also collected. toads, trees, scorpions—you name it; any part of the local flora and fauna was the treasure that The herpetology team led by Dr. Brad lured the researchers to this little-known place. Hollingsworth, curator of herpetology, plans The researchers were out in force, collecting both to use the expedition as the beginning of day and night, combing the area and looking a year-long study in the area. They will to find new specimens and observations to add compare diversity in this southernmost end of to our body of knowledge. Aware of the fact the peninsula with points farther north, and they had limited time, they shared collecting will collect data showing the reptile species’ opportunities, with botanists occasionally seasonality. The most abundant critter they collecting an insect or two, and entomologists encountered were the many beautiful red- collecting a snake they observed. spotted toads, which had just emerged from tadpoles, and were present in the thousands The botany team, led by Dr. Jon Rebman, found a in the ravines of the Sierra. Numerous range tiny annual at the highest elevations in the Sierra extensions were also documented by the that is very likely a new species to science. It is herpetology team. in the genus Stenotis in the coffee family, with very small tubular flowers. The genusStenotis Ornithologists were impressed to find wintering is endemic to Baja California Sur. In addition, gray vireos in the Sierra. This bird breeds in the a very unusual fern was collected near Rancho Southwest, especially in San Diego County, but Las Cruces that may also be a completely new its winter ecology in Baja California has been species. Plants representing significant range unknown up to this point. The vireo is strongly extensions were found, and the group successfully associated with the elephant tree, Bursera documented several species that are rare or have microphylla, because the fruit provides an very limited distributions. important source of food, and these trees were 5 abundant in the area. Since breeding in the gray The researchers know they need additional time vireo is in sharp decline in San Diego, the Sierra to visit the area and document more completely Cacachila population may be extremely important their findings, and plans are underway for for the conservation of this species. Another notable supplementing the first expedition. These trips observation was the Golden Eagle, which has been continue a tradition of binational scientific rarely recorded in Baja California Sur. expeditions that dates back to the late 1800s, the earliest years of the Museum. These efforts have Dr. Michael Wall, curator of entomology, and Jim provided a wealth of knowledge about the greater Berrian, field entomologist and spider specialist, southern California peninsula which is governed by explored the abandoned mines and discovered two nations, but represents a unified area of great what is likely to be a new species of spider, biodiversity—one definitely worth preserving for similar to a tarantula but “not as husky. It’s future generations. quite bald, and its abdomen is mustard-brown with iridescence,” remarked Wall. “Is it deadly The expedition to the Sierra Cacachilas was made venomous? I don’t know…we think it is new possible through the generous support of the Walton to science.” These are the kind of discoveries Family Foundation at the recommendation of that researchers live for—the excitement of Museum Trustee Emeritus Christy Walton. finding something previously unknown. But their discoveries go beyond just that initial thrill. Most important is the impact of compiling the rich data that will make cogent arguments for preserving this unique area of the world. Benefits of collaborative efforts such as these go beyond those easily delineated in data points. The exchange of information between the American and Mexican scientists fosters not only robust scientific underpinnings for conservation efforts; it also promotes a cross-border collegiality that Tailless whip scorpions look scary, but they don’t have any will undoubtedly lead to further explorations. venom and run away quickly when disturbed. BRCC COLLECTIONS BY THE NUMBERS BIRDS | NEW SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 225 TOTAL SPECIMENS: 49,034 MAMMALS | NEW SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 159 TOTAL SPECIMENS: 24,004 HERPETOLOGY | NEW SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 118 TOTAL SPECIMENS: 76,700 ENTOMOLOGY | NEW SPECIMENS COLLECTED: ~4,500 TOTAL SPECIMENS IN THE COLLECTIONS: ~660,000 PALEONTOLOGY | NEW SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 16,607 TOTAL SPECIMENS: 1,318,386 BOTANY | NEW SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 8540 TOTAL SPECIMENS: 238,348 RESEARCH LIBRARY | 50,000 VOLUMES MARINE INVERTEBRATES | 5 MILLION MINERALOGY |15,000 SPECIMENS TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIMENS: ~7.4 MILLION 6 Museum Families Inspire New Beginnings The Museum is now 24 months into its 30-month, Museum’s first website and served as its webmaster.