Gastropod

Red abalone

Haliotis rufescens

Rocky reefs and kelp forests

Find locations for this species ↓

Photo: no rights reserved · CC0 · Source and license. Displayed as a resized crop. Photograph illustrates the species.

Habitat: Rocky reefs and kelp forests
Habitat zone: Subtidal kelp habitat; see depths in the local source records
Viewing activities: Scuba diving

Life and behavior

Southern California populations use deeper kelp forest habitat.

When to look

The available records do not establish a reliable local viewing season. Use the map’s month filter to inspect dated observations; it does not predict an encounter.

RECORDED PRESENCE

Where has Red abalone been recorded?

These destination links use the same area and date cutoff as the map: 40 km circles, except for the four named regional rectangles. Checked 2026-09-19. Counts describe source records, not individual animals or sighting odds.

Channel IslandsCalifornia, United States40 km radius · 6388 source records since 2016About this destination →La JollaCalifornia, United States40 km radius · 123 source records since 2016About this destination →Monterey BayCalifornia, United StatesRegional rectangle · 34790 source records since 2016About this destination →

Sources, search boundaries and limitations