Negit Island facts for kids
An aerial photo of Negit Island. As of 2004, the land bridge seen here is underwater.
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Mono Lake, Mono County, California |
| Coordinates | 38°01′N 119°03′W / 38.017°N 119.050°W |
| Highest elevation | 6,522 ft (1,987.9 m) 141 ft (43 m) above the 2004 lake level. |
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United States
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Negit Island is a special island located in Mono Lake, California. It formed from a volcanic cone less than 2,000 years ago. This makes it one of the youngest islands in the area. Negit Island is made up of three dark dacite lava flows. It is often thought of as the most northern part of the Mono Craters.
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A Home for Birds
Negit Island is a very important place for many birds. It is a key nesting ground for migratory birds. One of the most common birds you might see there is the California gull. These gulls often fly in circles high above Mono Lake.
The Land Bridge Challenge
For a while, the lake level of Mono Lake dropped a lot. This happened after 1941. When the water level went down, a piece of land appeared. This land connected Negit Island to the mainland. It was like a natural bridge.
Unfortunately, this land bridge caused problems for the nesting birds. Animals like coyotes could walk across the bridge. They would then raid the bird nests and eat the eggs. This was very harmful to the bird populations.
Protecting the Nests
Good news came in 1994. Rules were put in place to let the lake level rise again. Since then, the water has gone up. The land bridge is now underwater. This means predators can no longer easily reach the island. This helps keep the bird eggs safe.
Visiting Negit Island
You can reach Negit Island by boat. Many people like to use kayaks to get there. However, there are rules to protect the birds. The island is closed to visitors from April 1st to August 1st. This is during the time when the gulls are nesting. It helps make sure they can raise their young safely.
Images for kids
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A view of Mono Lake, where Negit Island is located.
