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Published 12 June 2024
© 2024 Wildlife Ecology Institute
https://doi.org/10.59438/NPJA5305
© 2024 Wildlife Ecology Institute
https://doi.org/10.59438/NPJA5305
INTRODUCTION
Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis) are one of the smallest and most geographically restricted of the canid species, occurring only on the 6 largest of the 8 Channel Islands in California, USA. Each of the 6 islands is occupied by a distinct subspecies: San Clemente Island fox (Urocyon littoralis clementae), San Miguel Island fox (Urocyon littoralis littoralis), San Nicholas Island fox (Urocyon littoralis dickeyi), Santa Catalina Island fox (Urocyon littoralis catalinae), Santa Cruz Island fox (Urocyon littoralis santacruzae), and Santa Rosa Island fox (Urocyon littoralis santarosae).
Island foxes are a diminutive relative of the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in mainland North America, from which they evolved <10,000 years ago, and exist in small populations of 300– 3,000 individuals. Their insular evolution renders them vulnerable to diseases and parasites, and also to predation by novel predators. During the 1990s, island foxes declined to near extinction on the northern Channel Islands due to predation by golden eagles (Aquila chysaetos) and on Santa Catalina Island due to canine distemper virus (CDV). Island foxes on 4 islands were listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2004, and became the subjects of intense recovery actions, including captive breeding and reintroduction efforts, capture and relocation of golden eagles, and vaccination against CDV and rabies. Endangered subspecies of island foxes subsequently recovered and were either delisted or downlisted in 2016, marking the quickest recovery of a mammal in the history of the ESA. Still vulnerable to disease, predation, and the effects of climate change, populations of island foxes currently continue to be intensively monitored to assess cause-specific mortality and population trends.
Island foxes (Urocyon littoralis) are one of the smallest and most geographically restricted of the canid species, occurring only on the 6 largest of the 8 Channel Islands in California, USA. Each of the 6 islands is occupied by a distinct subspecies: San Clemente Island fox (Urocyon littoralis clementae), San Miguel Island fox (Urocyon littoralis littoralis), San Nicholas Island fox (Urocyon littoralis dickeyi), Santa Catalina Island fox (Urocyon littoralis catalinae), Santa Cruz Island fox (Urocyon littoralis santacruzae), and Santa Rosa Island fox (Urocyon littoralis santarosae).
Island foxes are a diminutive relative of the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) in mainland North America, from which they evolved <10,000 years ago, and exist in small populations of 300– 3,000 individuals. Their insular evolution renders them vulnerable to diseases and parasites, and also to predation by novel predators. During the 1990s, island foxes declined to near extinction on the northern Channel Islands due to predation by golden eagles (Aquila chysaetos) and on Santa Catalina Island due to canine distemper virus (CDV). Island foxes on 4 islands were listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2004, and became the subjects of intense recovery actions, including captive breeding and reintroduction efforts, capture and relocation of golden eagles, and vaccination against CDV and rabies. Endangered subspecies of island foxes subsequently recovered and were either delisted or downlisted in 2016, marking the quickest recovery of a mammal in the history of the ESA. Still vulnerable to disease, predation, and the effects of climate change, populations of island foxes currently continue to be intensively monitored to assess cause-specific mortality and population trends.
Citation:
Coonan, T. J. 2024. Island fox. Pages 30.1–30.15 in T. L. Hiller, R. D. Applegate, R. D. Bluett, S. N. Frey, E. M. Gese, and J. F. Organ, editors. Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America. Wildlife Ecology Institute, Helena, Montana, USA. https://doi.org/10.59438/NPJA5305
Citation:
Coonan, T. J. 2024. Island fox. Pages 30.1–30.15 in T. L. Hiller, R. D. Applegate, R. D. Bluett, S. N. Frey, E. M. Gese, and J. F. Organ, editors. Wild furbearer management and conservation in North America. Wildlife Ecology Institute, Helena, Montana, USA. https://doi.org/10.59438/NPJA5305
Copyright 2024 Wildlife Ecology Institute