The island fox is one-third smaller than its mainland ancestor, the gray fox . At 12 to 13 inches in height and 4 to 5 pounds, the island fox is about the size of a housecat. Some individuals have been known to live up to 15 years.
Where do Channel Islands foxes live?
HABITAT: Island foxes occur in virtually every habitat on the Channel Islands, including valley and foothill grasslands, southern coastal dunes, coastal bluffs, southern coastal oak woodland , southern riparian woodland, Bishop and Torrey pine forests, coastal marsh, and communities of coastal sage scrub, maritime ...
The island fox shares a common ancestor with the gray fox , Urocyon cinereoargenteus, which is found on the mainland. Both species have similar coloration and a diploid chromosome number of 66. One structural difference between the two species is the reduced size of the island fox, a feature known as dwarfism.
How did Channel Island fox get there?
Island foxes brought to the southern Channel Islands of Santa Catalina, San Nicolas, and San Clemente by the Chumash native people who traded with the Gabrielino people of the southern islands.
Why are island foxes important?
As golden eagles began nesting on the islands and their numbers increased, they also began hunting island foxes. At only four pounds, the foxes are the largest native land animals on the islands and play vital roles in the plant and animal communities , such as dispersing seeds of shrubs that are unique to the islands.
Which Channel Island has the most foxes?
From fewer than 100 foxes on three islands just 15 years ago, the foxes' populations have grown to more than 700 on San Miguel Island ; 1,200 on Santa Rosa Island; 2,100 on Santa Cruz Island; and 1,800 on Santa Catalina Island.
How many island fox are left?
After several years of carefully trapping the foxes and vaccinating them against distemper and rabies, their population has reached 1,717 in 2015, surpassing the pre-disease population of about 1,300.
Can Island foxes climb trees?
The island fox and its mainland cousin the gray fox are the only fox species capable of climbing trees . ... Unlike the gray fox, which is primarily a nocturnal hunter, the island fox is active both day and night and can be readily observed foraging for lizards, insects, and fruit that comprise a large portion of its diet.
How did foxes get on Catalina Island?
A descendent of the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), it is one of the six recognized subspecies of the Island Gray fox (Urocyon littoralis) that live on six of the California Channel Islands. ... Another theory is that fox may have been brought to Catalina by the first people to inhabit the Island .
What factors affect the island fox population?
Predation by golden eagles was the primary mortality factor for foxes on the northern Channel Islands, but there were other threats as well. Introduced diseases or parasites could conceivably devastate island fox populations.
What steps did conservationists take to help the island fox?
- The Captive Breeding Program. ...
- Reintroduction of the Bald Eagle. ...
- Encouraging Native Plants.
What is a golden island fox?
| Island fox | Family: Canidae | Genus: Urocyon | Species: U. littoralis | Binomial name |
|---|
What does a Channel Island fox eat?
It is the largest native mammal predator on the California Channel Islands. While deer mice are a favorite, birds, snakes, lizards, crabs and insects are also eaten. Island foxes will also opportunistically forage for plant foods and scavenge for carrion.
Can Island Foxes swim?
( Foxes are poor swimmers , and it's unlikely they could ever have swum the distance between the mainland and the islands.) Over time, fox descendants adapted to the new habitat, where they became the dominant predators.
Is the island fox endangered?
Although foxes have always existed at low population sizes, four island fox subspecies underwent catastrophic declines in the 1990s . On San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands at Channel Islands National Park, the decline was attributed to predation by golden eagles.
How many Channel Islands are there?
| Îles Anglo-Normandes (French) Îles d'la Manche (Norman) | Total islands 7 inhabited | Major islands Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey, and Sark | Area 198 km 2 (76 sq mi) | Highest point Les Platons |
|---|
