2 ) ▁ran ch ▁and ▁leaving ▁the ▁Park ▁Service ▁with ▁ 7 5 %, ▁effectively ▁blocking ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁park . ▁ ▁After ▁ 1 6 ▁years ▁of ▁neg ot iation , ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁government ▁officials ▁settled ▁with ▁G her ini ▁for ▁ 1 4 ▁million ▁dollars ▁which ▁included ▁ 2 ▁million ▁dollars ▁in ▁back ▁interest , ▁clear ing ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁the ▁park ▁to ▁be ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁The ▁last ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁sheep ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁were ▁removed ▁by ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁ ▁With ▁Ed win ▁St anton ' s ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁his ▁wid ow ▁and ▁son , ▁Care y , ▁re - in cor por ated ▁the ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Island ▁Company ▁and ▁continued ▁the ▁cattle ▁operations ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁Care y ▁St anton ▁died ▁unexpected ly ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁at ▁the ▁ran ch ▁and ▁was ▁buried ▁in ▁the ▁family ▁plot ▁in ▁the ▁island ▁chap el ▁yard ▁at ▁the ▁Main ▁R anch . ▁The ▁real ▁property ▁passed ▁to ▁The ▁Nature ▁Conserv ancy ▁through ▁a ▁prior ▁agreement ▁that ▁Care y ▁St anton ▁had ▁established ▁with ▁the ▁non - pro fit ▁organization . ▁ ▁The ▁Nature ▁Conserv ancy ▁rapidly ▁liquid ated ▁the ▁cattle ▁operation ▁and ▁ended ▁the ▁ran ch ing ▁era ▁on ▁the ▁island . ▁▁ ▁They ▁also ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁eliminate ▁the ▁last ▁of ▁the ▁fer al ▁p igs ▁by ▁ 2 0