Friends of the Island Fox happily announces that the 2025 Research Grant was awarded to Kimberly Schoenberger to expand her investigation of connections between island fox genetics and health: Transcriptomics of the Channel Island Fox (Urocyon littoralis) through RNA-seq.
Schoenberger is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Southern California and works with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. This second year of grant support will fund RNA genetic sequencing of an additional 40 foxes from across all six Channel Islands.
The initial 48 island foxes were all adults who had never been vaccinated. (First year of study) This second group includes juveniles and adults that had been previously vaccinated.
Health checks have revealed that San Nicolas Island foxes have similar ear mite infestation to Catalina Island foxes, but the foxes on San Nic do not develop microbial monocultures or cancerous tumors in their ears. Genetically influenced immune-system response may offer insight into why some island populations face health threats that others do not. Similar ear mite infestation with reduced microbial diversity has been found on San Clemente Island and the population there has faced survival declines in the last three years. (More on microbiome and connection to cancer in Catalina Island fox).
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| Examination of an island fox's ear canal with an otoscope |
Schoenberger's RNA research may also provide noninvasive ways to detect dangerous amounts of internal parasites in island foxes. Examination of immune transcriptomes in dogs has shown that increases in specific interleukins signal the presence of intestinal worms. Currently island foxes are challenged by intestinal parasites, especially spirocerca on San Nicolas Island, an ancanthocephalin on San Miguel Island, and possibly a new parasite on Santa Rosa Island.
Researchers like Kimberly Schoenberger are vital to healthy island fox populations. Insight from her work will help inform land managers and protect island foxes into the future.
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