THE Farallon Island, or devils Teeth, as they are referred to by sailors, area group of small islands with rocky, barren terrain and treacherous, 48 km (30 miles) off the coast of San Francisco, California although the islands are small, with a combined total land area of 0.41km squared (0.16 square miles), they are positioned in a major ocean current, which enables them to house dense populations of birds, rodents seals, and other water mammals.
The abundance of wildlife first attracted Russian and American fur traders in the early 1800s, who then nearly eliminated the seal population in the area. The islands then became an agricultural resource for San Francisco during the gold rush era when egg companies began harvesting bird eggs on the islands. In 1863, violence between viral egg companies erupted on the islands (known as the Egg War") which inadvertently attracted national attention and provoked lawmakers to pass legislation to protect and rehabilitate the island's natural ecosystem.
In 1881, an executive order was passed that decreed egging illegal on the Farallon's. This ended private enterprises on the islands was reinforced in 1909 when President Theodore Roosevelt created the Farallon Reservation to restore human access and preserve that northern island, and over time many of the island original inhabitants have returned.
The Farallon's are now home to the world's largest population of western gull. Seals have returned, as well as otters and sea lions, which in turn attracts great white sharks. The combination of sharks, underwater currents, and jagged coastline are probably what earned the Farallon's their nickname "Devil's Teeth," though it hasn't stopped a few adventurous people from swimming. Four people have completed the 30-mile swim from the islands to San Francisco; the fastest person completed the journey in 14 hours.