President Makes Pinnacles National Park Official - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. – Thursday, President Barack Obama signed into law the change in status from Pinnacles National Monument to Pinnacles National Park.  The 26,000 acre area is now Monterey County's first national park. 

The Pinnacles is home to 149 species of birds including 30 endangered California Condors.  The Pinnacles system also houses 49 types of mammals, 22 reptiles, six amphibians, 68 butterflies, 36 dragonflies and damselflies, nearly 400 bees, and thousands of other invertebrates.

Pinnacles National Park is the country's 59^th national park and the first National Park created by Congress since 2004.