Vernal Pool Animals

  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Birds
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
    Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals
  • Vernal Pool Animals

Vernal Pool Animals

Although most vernal pool animals are small, their complex food webs sustain many larger species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. Most of the critters in vernal pools are native to California and many survive only in vernal pools. We know little about them and less than half have been named. 

Microlife

Invertebrates

Amphibians

Reptiles

Mammals

Birds

Sacramento Splash - Helping children understand and value their natural world picture
What's in a name?

For Splash students, a "Tadpole Shrimp" is an endangered species that lives in vernal pools. For rice farmers, a "Tadpole Shrimp" is a common pest that destroys their rice fields. A rice farmer would think you were crazy wanting to save "Tadpole Shrimp" from extinction!

With scientific names, there's no room for confusion: the rice pest is Triops longicaudatus and the endangered species is Lepidurus packardi. Even a scientists who speak different languages can understand one another when they all use the Latin name!

Sacramento Splash - Helping children understand and value their natural world picture
Science can be FUN!

100% of Splash teachers agree that their field trip to the vernal pools was both fun AND educational for their students.

If you're a fourth or fifth grade teacher, we can help make science fun for your students.