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| male island fox after recovery from leg amputation |
FIF strives to connect the scientists in the field with the local community that cares about Channel Island foxes. We are thrilled to offer this:
Report from the Field
By Calvin Duncan, Island Fox Biologist,
Catalina Island Conservancy
No matter how many times it happens, it is
always amazing to see the resilience of animals and their ability to bounce
back from serious injury. While conducting the annual Island-wide fox trapping survey and vaccination efforts last fall, Conservancy biologists captured a
five-year-old male fox suffering from a compound fracture (broken bones exposed
through skin) on his rear right leg.
The injury occurred several weeks prior to
his capture and we suspect that another dominant male fox in the area was
likely to blame. “Island foxes are extremely territorial” reports Julie King,
the Conservancy’s senior wildlife biologist. “Injuries sustained by fighting
males can often be permanently debilitating or even fatal.”
In most cases the proper approach is to let
nature, as cruel as it may often be, take its course, but the Conservancy is
still actively working to recover the Catalina Island fox population from its
near extinction in 1999. For that reason, we actively treat injuries detected
in the field and work to improve the health and survival of each fox captured
during the annual survey. Approximately 80% of the fox population on Catalina
Island is also vaccinated against both canine distemper virus (CDV) and rabies
as a means of protecting the population against another potential disease
introduction.
In this particular case, the injured fox
was immediately transported to the Animal Clinic in Catalina for assessment and
potential treatment. In addition to the obvious leg injury the fox was also
extremely thin due to its inability to effectively forage for several weeks.
Conservancy biologists consulted with Avalon veterinarian Dr. Richard Denney
and agreed upon an approach that would require the amputation of the injured
leg.
According to Julie King there have been
several wild foxes on Catalina and the other Channel Islands that have
sustained injuries where the amputation of a leg was necessary and the foxes
were released and survived.
“At the conclusion of the captive breeding
program in 2004, an adult female was released with only three legs” says Julie
King, “while monitoring her post-release, she was found to have traveled
several miles before settling into a territory and successfully raising pups.”
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| Biologist Calvin Duncan with recovering fox |
Though the bone fracture on the male island
fox occurred within the tarsal bones or “ankle joint,” the leg was amputated
mid- femur and the remaining nub was tucked under the skin. According to Dr.
Denney this was necessary in order to eliminate the chance that the fox would
attempt to walk on the remaining limb leading to abrasions and potential
infection.
After the surgery the fox was transported to the Conservancy’s
Middle Ranch Wildlife Field Clinic where he was cared for by Conservancy
biologists during his twenty-day recovery.
On October 4, 2011 he was fitted
with a radio collar and successfully released at his original capture location.
We continue to monitor this fox as he makes his adjustment back into the wild
and to date he is doing well.
This is another example of how radio collars are used to help monitor individual island foxes.
Video of an island fox barking taken by Calvin Duncan