The Big Day: White Abalone Captive Breeding at UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab

April 21st is my mother’s birthday, and according to her, it’s a good day to be born. This April 21st, I find myself pulling into the parking lot of the Bodega Marine Lab in the dark, pre-dawn hours. I am here at 5:45 AM, 500 miles from home and 300 miles outside the white abalone’s geographic range, hoping to witness the birth of the newest generation of white abalone.