Island Foxes, the U.S. Navy, and Island Spotted Skunks

"Date with a Fox" February 2022

Island foxes on San Clemente Island live with an active U.S. Navy Base, while island foxes on Santa Cruz Island live with island spotted skunks.

FIF's February virtual program "Date with a Fox" featured:

Holly Gamblin a biologist with the Institute for Wildlife Studies  on San Clemente Island. Gamblin provided a rare inside-look at the island foxes on the U.S. Navy island. Few civilians have access to San Clemente Island.

 

Research biologist Ellie Bolas shared her masters' thesis studies on the interactions between island foxes and island spotted skunks. Island spotted skunks live only on Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands. Very little is known about the ecology and behavior of island spotted skunks. How do these two small predators co-exist on the islands?

If you missed the program you can watch the video here:

To participate in FIF's "Date with a Fox" in May - join our donor list or subscribe to our e-newsletter.

See past "Date with a Fox" programs

You Can Help Island Foxes and Other Wildlife This Weekend

As we all head out for a holiday weekend, here's a quick reminder that things we use everyday can be dangerous to wildlife.

A sad story just came in from the US Navy regarding an island fox on San Clemente Island. "I'm honestly surprised we have not seen this before," says Melissa Booker, Navy Wildlife Biologist/Natural Resources Manager for San Clemente Island. "Discarded fishing line is notorious for impacting marine species and birds. Sadly, add foxes to the list."

"We lost this young female to entanglement this [past] weekend."

You can see how the fox caught her tiny foot in the snarl of discarded fishing line, which was out of sight in the bush. Struggling to free herself, only tightened the line. 

Especially during hot summer days, the window to save an entrapped animal is short.

 

 

This death could have been easily avoided. Fishing line should always be disposed of so that it doesn't endanger wildlife. Left on the ground or in the water, it remains a threat for years. 

If you have to cut fishing line because of a snarl, don't let it get away from you. If you see a snarl of fishing line, carefully pick it up. Dispose of fishing line into a closed trash container.  Be careful of fishing hooks, they are also dangerous to people and wildlife. Island fox injured by fishing hook - Sea lion caught in fishing debris

Fishing line isn't the only everyday item that can be dangerous to small animals. Another member of the Island Fox Conservation Recovery Group, research ecologist Brian Cypher of CSU-Stanislaus reports: "...we have documented 60+ kit foxes so far getting tangled and trapped in soccer nets or baseball batting cage nets" in California's Central Valley. A third of the trapped kit foxes didn't survive the entanglement.

Even COVID-19 face masks dropped on the ground can become a hazard for small animals. The ear-loops get hooked around small mammals, birds, and even fish.

But YOU can help all of these animals. These situations can easily be prevented.

• Put old fishing line safely into trash containers
  
• Drop game nets or lift them up off the ground to reduce entanglement
• Cut the ear loops on face masks before disposing of them

Let's have a safe summer for people and wildlife!

Other things to be aware of if you are visiting the Channel Islands this summer

Growing list of animals recently involved with fishing line:

Pacific pond turtle (endangered species)

 

Where to See An Island Fox 2012 Update

Wild populations of island foxes are increasing toward recovery across the California Channel Islands and with each year the opportunity to see an island fox in its natural environment increases.

But not everyone can journey to the islands or spend time in wilderness areas. A small number of island foxes can be found in captive facilities. 

Tachi, Catalina Island Conservancy

On the island of Santa Catalina the Catalina Island Conservancy cares for Tachi, an island fox that can not be released into the wild. Tachi makes appearances at special events on Santa Catalina Island and she can be seen on a special tour into the island's interior.

Several zoos exhibit island foxes from San Clemente Island. This subspecies of island fox is not listed as endangered but is still vulnerable to population declines because it is found only on San Clemente Island and no where else in the world. Captive management of the San Clemente Island fox helped develop husbandry techniques and establish veterinary care procedures for the endangered subspecies of foxes on the northern islands and Santa Catalina Island.

You Can Also See Island Foxes At:

Santa Barbara Zoo

The Santa Barbara Zoo exhibits a male from Santa Rosa Island that requires daily medical care due to a chronic eye condition. They also maintain the Stud Book or breeding records for all the island foxes in captivity on the mainland.

San Clemente island fox at L.A. Zoo

Los Angeles Zoo

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens exhibits a male that was the first island fox born in captivity at the Santa Barbara Zoo. He is an older fox and the father of two pups, that are now adults and living at other facilities.

Friends of the Island Fox participates in an Earth Day celebration of California wildlife in conjunction with the Docent Conservation Committee at the Los Angeles Zoo in April.

Charles Paddock Zoo

Exhibits a Male born at the Santa Barbara Zoo

CuriOdyssey at Coyote Point
Exhibits a Male born at the Los Angeles Zoo

Orange County Zoo

Exhibits a Male born at the Los Angeles Zoo

California Living Museum- Bakersfield
Exhibits a Male from San Clemente Island

Even if you can’t venture over to the Channel Islands, zoos that are helping save the species can give you an opportunity to see an island fox in person. This rare species is one of California’s precious treasures.


What is it like on the islands?

Experiencing Santa Cruz Island
Habitat Restoration on Santa Cruz Island
Experiencing Santa Rosa Island

Travel with Friends of the Island Fox to Santa Cruz Island, May 5, 2012

Getting there - Island Packers

Island Fox Born at Santa Barbara Zoo

(photo courtesy of Santa Barbara Zoo)

Spring is pupping season for the endangered Channel island foxes and each birth is a celebration. While we are waiting to hear how many pups were born out on the islands, the Santa Barbara Zoo happily announced the birth of a new island fox.

The male pup was born April 12, 2007, to a pair of older parents from San Clemente Island. The mother was unable to nurse the tiny pup and therefore it is being handreared by the Santa Barbara Zoo staff.

Fitting in the palm of your hand, the pup weighed only two ounces at birth–less than 2 AA batteries. Staff members attended to feedings six times a day, 24 hours a day, and the pup quickly doubled its weight.

As of Thursday June 7, the latest update is...

“It seemed like he was perhaps premature when he was born and a bit undersized. But within a month or so, he caught up to where he needed to be. He now weighs 1.4 pounds. He still gets two bottles of formula a day but has teeth and is eating solids. He receives our omnivore diet, like the other Island foxes we have, which is a canine mix, sort of like dog chow. We supplement that with small chunks of various vegetables and with baby food (chicken and rice, vegetables with turkey, turkey dinner). We are happy that he’s doing so well and heading towards normal development. We will soon start giving him some time and exposure with our male fox whose mate died recently. Hopefully, they can be companions.”

Currently this brings the total number of island foxes in Zoos to 12. Where can you visit a zoo with island foxes.

Alan Varsik, Director of Animal Programs and Conservation at the Santa Barbara Zoo and FIF board member, adds “The birth of this pup will further enhance our ability to continue to tell the conservation story of the island fox and the unique and special habitat that it lives in.”

Captive breeding has played an important role is reestablishing island fox populations. What is captive breeding? Animal management protocol developed at the Santa Barbara Zoo and other zoo facilities has helped provide valuable information on how to keep island foxes safe and healthy in captive environments.

Working together zoos and conservation land managers are saving this endangered species. Friends of the Island Fox supports their efforts and works with them to educate the public about the island fox and its unique habitat, the Channel Islands.