Island Foxes and Earth Day Events 2018

Earth Day is a great time to celebrate the success of island fox conservation and recommit to helping island foxes.

You can connect with Friends of the Island Fox at two Earth Day events.

Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival

April 21 & 22, 2018

Saturday 11 AM - 8 PM & Sunday 11 AM - 6 PM

Friends of the Island Fox and Channel Islands Restoration will be at Alameda Park in Santa Barbara to celebrate at the Earth Day Festival (maps & info). 

Join in a science investigation activity to discover what the island foxes have been eating. 

Learn about the connection between island foxes and native plants. 

FIF will be showcasing our NEW Friends of the Island Fox t-shirts! All sales help island fox conservation.

 

Fresno Chaffee Zoo Party for the Planet 2018

Friday April 20

9 AM - 1 PM

Get "hands-on" with the Health Check Fox

Fresno Chaffee Zoo has long been a supporter of Friends of the Island Fox and island fox recovery. Zoo volunteers will host FIF's Health Check Fox. 

This unique education tool lets you try your hand at a health check for an island fox. You can check the teeth, examine the ear with an otoscope, check the body for injuries, and take blood samples, just like the biologists do in the field.

FIF is celebrating the support of the Fresno community for island fox conservation. Fresno Chaffee Zoo's five year grant of $10,000 from 2013-2018 funded:

• blood testing for introduced disease in 2013 & 2016
• new island fox capture cages for annual health checks in 2013-2014
• blood testing to determine the effectiveness of a new distemper virus vaccine in 2015
• 10 radio tracking collar 2017-2018 

Join in the celebration. More details on the Party for the Planet

Support Fresno Chaffee Zoo's conservation efforts around the world and here in California for the island fox.

Fox Foto Friday - An older fox with tattered ears on Santa Cruz Island

 

Photo: Douglas E. Welch

More information:

• How old is that Island Fox?
• Compare younger and older island foxes
• Pups vs Adults

Fox Foto Friday - An Island Fox Den

courtesy of Will Campbell

Across the Channel Islands, island fox pairs are preparing for parenthood. They've found a protected spot for a den. The den may be between rocks, under tree roots or bushes, or an abandoned burrow dug by another animal. It just needs to be protected and out of the weather. This den is where their pups will be born.

Island fox pups are typically born in April. Most litters have 2-3 pups. The rain this year has been below average so litter size may tend to be smaller. 

Less rain = fewer resources. 

Fewer resources = fewer island fox pups.

Drought impacts on island foxes.

How big is an island fox pup?