More marine mammals haul out there than virtually anywhere else on the coast, including elephant seals and Steller sea lions. It is home to many seabird colonies, including puffins and endangered brown pelicans. It is a protected intertidal research reserve.
Subtidal habitat includes kelp found in few other locations.
Chief's Island is by far the largest island in the area, and it is loaded with birds and other wildlife. It makes no sense that the nearly barren, flea-speck rocks elsewhere are fully protected within the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge, but that Chief's Island is not. Because for years some politicians and others have wanted to build a large interpretive center on the headland overlooking Chiefs Island and its scenic lighthouse. They hoped to start running tours to the long-closed island. That would have been environmentally disastrous, but in order to keep the possibility of building the center open, a former U.S. Senator from Oregon kept Chief's Island out of the Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge.