Visiting Island Foxes This Summer

The Channel Islands are open for visitors. Here are a few things to remember when visiting island foxes.

Keep your food safe! 

Island foxes evolved with humans. They know how to read your actions and they know where you put food. 

They are smart. 

Zippers, snaps, plastic latches, and Velcro are not fox proof. If food is not within your reach, it should be locked up in metal fox-proof lockers provided in campgrounds and visitor areas. 

Do you see the island fox that the man in the photo is not paying attention too? 

It unzipped the backpack and took a sandwich.

Watch this video taken this week:

 

Your food and its packaging are dangerous to island foxes. A young fox who eats a food wrapper might end up with intestinal blockage and die. Potato chip bags get stuck on small heads and have caused island fox fatalities. Use fox-safe trash bins on Catalina Island and remember to pack out all trash from Channel Island National Park and The Nature Conservancy islands.

Be a Fox Friend! 

Island foxes are small animals with big personalities. Be aware when island foxes are near:

• watch
• appreciate 
• give them space
  
• photograph

Fox Friends do not chase or try to touch island foxes. They stand still and let island foxes walk past them

Island foxes are wild animals who don't mind sharing spaces with humans. Let's help keep them that way. 

On islands with vehicles: Be aware of island foxes crossing roads. In 2020, the greatest single cause of island fox death was being hit by a car. 

Visit island foxes and enjoy sharing the Channel Islands with a charismatic wild animal. 

Island foxes evolved with Native peoples in a relationship of mutual respect. Let's protect the island fox, its island home, and its special relationship with people.